The EU's (leading) role in opposing China’s threat to the liberal international order

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Abstract

At a time when China increasingly seems eager to become a hegemonic power through authoritarian means, this paper assesses whether EU’s unity and economic strength could be effective in limiting the corrosive effects of China’s sharp power in the preservation of a liberal world order. For this purpose, we first make a comparison between EU and China’s economies, namely through a comparative assessment of quantitative data regarding the components of trade and investment. Then, we explore how these economic links may also include a projection of sharp power by China, mostly visible through human rights violations, breaches of rule of law, unfair competition, the theft of technology secrets, as well as the risk of undermining the very own integrity of the European project. Having this in mind, we then reflect on the limits of doing business with China, trying to understand as to what extent the two distinct political and economic models are compatible with the preservation of a liberal order open to free and fair economic exchanges. In the end, while concluding that the Chinese model is increasingly threatening a stable international order, we also argue that the EU has a considerable economic deterrence power to push China into respecting global defined rules and arrangements. While considering that the US’s leadership has reached to a crisis, we argue that the EU (if united) has the opportunity, the economic capacity and even the duty to establish itself as the main promoter of what must remain a rules-based liberal international order.
Original languageEnglish
Pages1-19
Number of pages19
Publication statusPublished - 22 Oct 2020
EventEstoril Political Forum 2020: New Authoritarian Challenges to Liberal Democracy - Cascais, Portugal
Duration: 19 Oct 202022 Oct 2020
https://epf-2020.com/

Conference

ConferenceEstoril Political Forum 2020
Abbreviated title28th International Meeting in Political Studies
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityCascais
Period19/10/2022/10/20
Internet address

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