On May 11, 2024, “Strategic Autonomy and Peace and Stability - Sino-French and Sino-European Relations in a Turbulent and Changing World” was held at Fudan University, organized by the Center for French Studies, the Center for China-Europe Relations, and the China-Europe Academic Exchange Fund of Fudan University, and co-organized by the Committee of International Political Studies of China Association of Higher Education, the Shanghai Institute for European Studies, and the Shanghai Association for International Studies. More than 30 experts, scholars and postgraduates from SIES, Fudan University, Tongji University, East China Normal University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and other institutions attended the seminar.
Zhang Ji, director of the Center for French Studies at Fudan University and vice president of the Shanghai Association for International Relations, presided over the meeting and was entrusted to deliver a speech on behalf of the Committee of International Political Studies of China Association of Higher Education and the Shanghai Association for International Relations; Ding Chun, president of SIES, delivered an opening speech for the meeting; and Zheng Chunrong, director of the Center for German Studies at Tongji University, made a summary of the meeting. Experts such as Xu Mingqi, vice president of China Center for International Economic Exchanges Shanghai Branch, and Liu Jun, associate dean of the School of Politics and International Relations of East China Normal University, made keynote speeches. Yang Haifeng, secretary general of SIES, Jian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations of Fudan University, and Zhang Yinghong, director of the Center for European Studies of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, presided over the seminar respectively.
Focusing on the conference theme of “strategic autonomy” and “peace and stability”, the participating experts conducted in-depth discussions on Sino-French relations and Sino-European relations, their strategic significance and global impact. The experts believe that the strategic stability of Sino-French and Sino-European relations is of global significance at this critical moment when the international order is undergoing turbulent changes and uncertainties are increasing significantly. With the Russian-Ukrainian and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts dragging on, and the strategic competition between China and the United States becoming increasingly fierce, the world is facing the danger of plunging into a new Cold War and confrontation between camps, and global peace and stability are facing major challenges. The realization of benign interaction between China and Europe has an irreplaceable key role in promoting global strategic stability. As a major European country with strong leadership, France is the most resolute promoter of European strategic autonomy, and both China and France have a tradition of independent diplomacy. The deepening of Sino-French bilateral friendship and cooperation will not only help to promote the stabilization and warming of Sino-European relations, but will also provide a strategic opportunity for China and Europe to strengthen their communication and coordination on the multilateral agenda and in the context of global governance and the promotion of global peace and stability. The head-of-state diplomacy has played a key leading role in the strategic stabilization and positive development of Sino-French and Sino-European relations.
Participating experts believe that it is necessary to comprehensively understand strategic autonomy and give full play to its positive role in China-EU relations. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has significantly weakened Europe's strategic autonomy, and with the approaching U.S. presidential election, the uncertainty of U.S.-EU relations has increased, Europe's motivation and actions to seek strategic autonomy have significantly increased, which has contributed to the warming of China-EU relations. Europe's pursuit of strategic autonomy is highly compatible with China's external strategic needs, and has a positive role in promoting China-EU relations. At the same time, we should also pay full attention to the protectionism of Europe's strategic autonomy in the economic field, enhance the composite nature of the policy toward Europe, adjust the approach in response to different areas, and take the initiative to shape the agenda of China-EU relations. It is necessary to fully recognize the diversity and complexity of Europe as a whole, deepen the research on the diversity and complexity of Europe, and promote the healthy development of bilateral relations.
