The New China-US-EU Triangle

29 June 2011 | 20:37 Code : 14224 Asia & Africa

Interview with Mohsen Shariatinia, Expert on China Issues

China as a superpower seeks to expand its relations with the EU. The recent visit of China’s Foreign Minister to Europe amid the economic crisis is a proof enough of this. By the end of his visit, Jia-Bano announced that China desires to aid the countries of this continent in order to improve and stabilize their economic situation.

IRD: What were the reasons behind the visit of China’s Foreign Minister to Europe?

MS: Chinese and European officials meet annually, on a regular basis. The main reasons behind these trips are economic transactions on the one hand, and their mutual conflicts on the other.

IRD: It seems that the reason behind this trip was mainly to resolve the economic crisis?

MS: Currently Europe is stuck in an economic crisis and China is turning into a financial superpower. Therefore, and unlike in the past, Europe is more in need of China. China attempts to take advantage of its financial power and means to influence Europe. If you pay attention, you will realize that China is purchasing the stocks of those European countries that are afflicted by the economic crisis in order to increase its influence with them. It should be taken into consideration that Europe is aware that China holds important tools in regards to this continent.

Therefore, China seeks to use this situation to strengthen its financial stance in Europe, and the Europeans are also willing to use China’s help in order to relieve themselves from this crisis. In this equation, China’s economic and financial power is one outstanding issue, and its market another.

IRD: How successful can this cooperation be?

MS: This depends on how we see success. The Chinese have been successful in investing in Europe and in economic transactions. The European Union is China’s main business partner, and China imports most of its technologies from Europe. According to statistics, the transactions between China and Germany exceed that of Germany and the US. As main economic partners, China and Europe have been successful in achieving their economic priorities. However, there are still many obstacles in the field of human rights, arms control, and realizing China as a business market.

Therefore it can be said that despite the achievements in economic transactions and relations, human rights and arms sanctions are still a problem for China.

IRD: You referred to human rights issues. Do you think that they could create any problems in China’s relations with Europe?

MS: The issue of human rights creates problems to some extent, especially when the Nobel Prize was awarded to a Chinese dissident, when there are talks between European officials and the Dalai Lama, or when China arrests opposition figures. At these times, this issue is even more heated. But the main source of cooperation between China and Europe is economic, and human rights issues cannot influence this relation to a large extent.

IRD: What is the importance of the extension of this relationship?

MS: The importance of Europe and China lies in the fact that the triangle of China-Europe-US will be one of the most outstanding elements in the future of politics. The future of this relationship and how it approaches the Atlantic will greatly influence international politics.