On the afternoon of May 11th 2017, the book launch ceremony for the Chinese version of the book The EU’s Foreign Policies and the discussion meeting for“EU Foreign Policy: Progress and Challenges” was held in the Building of Social Sciences of the Fudan University. This book launch ceremony was jointly sponsored by the Shanghai Institute for European Studies (SIES), the School of International Relations and Public Affairs and the Center for China-Europe Relations, Fudan University, the Shanghai International Studies University, and the Shanghai People’s Publishing House Co. Ltd. SIES vice president Chen Zhimin presided this ceremony. He is also the Jean Monet Chair Professor and the dean of the School of International Relations and Public affairs of Fudan University, and assistant to the president of the Fudan University. Prof. Stephan Keukeleire, the Jean Monet Chair Professor of the Catholic Leuven University of Belgium, author of the book The EU’s Foreign Policies, made a keynote speech on the ceremony. This ceremony and the discussion meeting were also attended by Dr. Cao Ziheng, Dr. Jian Junbo, Prof. Liu Hongsong, Ms. Pan Danrong, Prof. Song Lilei, Ms. Wang Shichen, Prof. Xin Hua, Dr. Yang Haifeng, Prof. Ye Jiang, and Dr. Zhang Ji, and other Shanghai scholars and professors of European studies.
The translation and publishing of the Chinese version of the book The EU’s Foreign Policies were financed by the Jean Monet Professor Program of the European Commission and supported by the SIES and the Fudan University. This book has been listed as the 15th book in the Series of Books of “European Union and the World” published by the Shanghai People’s Publishing House. This book explores the European Union’s foreign policies from a broad perspective, discussing a whole spectrum of relevant policy issues, including European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), European Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), European Union’s external policies (such as trade, development, and humanitarian aid), the internal dimensions of its external policies (such as its foreign policies related to energy, environment, and immigration). In the field of EU’s foreign relations, this book takes a concentrated discussion on EU’s relations with its neighboring countries, the United States, China, Russia, and other newly emerging countries, as well as its relations with major international organizations. This book also explains the multiple dimensions, means, and levels of the EU’s foreign policies, and introduces a framework of “structural foreign policy and relational foreign policy” to analyze substantial issues, with a focus on the latest development of EU’s foreign policies after the Lisbon Treaty took into effect.
Prof. Keukeleire made a speech on the ceremony, explaining the nature of the EU’s foreign policies, differentiating the relational foreign policy from the structural foreign policy, and introducing the influence of several general elections of major EU member states on EU’s foreign policies. He argued that we need to notice three points for understanding the EU foreign policy: 1. The European integration itself is a remarkable diplomatic success. 2. The EU member states have not transferred to the EU level all of the power of foreign policymaking. 3. It is impossible for the UK to completely cut itself off from the EU even after the full effectuation of Brexit. He made a point that the EU’s structural foreign policies were challenged and frustrated by the hard power and competitive powers in its neighboring areas, whereas China’s foreign policy model and its policy of AIIB got a big success. He further argued that Brexit is not a bad thing towards the EU’s defense policy. In his point of view, Macron cannot afford to neglect Le Pen’s force after his inauguration, and EU cannot afford to neglect similar forces in the Europe.
Prof. Chen Zhimin thought that the European Union is still an important power in the international community, and it has a resilience for recovery. Brexit might be a harm to EU, but on the other hand it becomes easier for EU to promote its integration further. He argued that substantial changes have already taken place in the internal and external environments of the Europe during the period from EU’s formulation of European Security Strategy in 2003 to its issue of global strategy in 2016. The unilateral actions and policies taken by some EU member states should be regarded as irresponsible activities to the EU as a whole. Now the EU is faced with internal and external crisis and it needs to handle all these crises with great caution. Therefore EU is formulating a series of new plans for strengthening its external influence. Prof. Chen Zhimin pointed out that the EU still is very important to China, and it is necessary for China learn the merits of EU. He thought that China should be moderate and conscientious when it is dealing with complex foreign relations. Particularly, he maintained that China should take an effort to understand the perspectives and inner thoughts of EU during the process of carrying forward the “One Belt One Road” initiative.
Other scholars also presented their opinions and viewpoints on the discussion meeting.
(all these opinions mentioned above are summarized from the record of the meeting and unconfirmed by speakers themselves. Yang Haifeng)
