• China and Europe: Rivals or strategic partners?
    		 

    On 14 February European and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing for the 14th China-EU Summit. To get more insights on the EU-China relations, Euronews talked to speakers of the high-level policy summit “Europe and China: Rivals or Strategic Partners?” organised by Friends of Europe. 
     
    Click here to watch interviews with Martin Jacques, author of the book “When China Rules the World”, Viorel Isticioaia Budura, Managing Director for Asia at the European External Action Service, and Hua Chunying, Counsellor at the European Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • China: Greening China's cities of tomorrow
    Thursday 8 March 2012

    The China Advisory Council within the Understanding China programme will welcome some 40 senior experts on the topic of urbanisation. This upcoming debate aims to provide an opportunity to explore China’s urban transition, identify the main problems it brings and draw policy implications for sustainable urban planning and development.

    Please click click here to find out more about this event
    

Recent Event

  

Pakistan: Charting a course for revival
 

Pakistan is in the headlines. But little is really known about a country often described as the “most dangerous place in the world”. Friends of Europe’s recent conference on “Pakistan: Charting a Course for Revival” looked behind the news to explore the real challenges facing the country.
 

Op-eds

EU-China ties: Beyond the headlines
By Shada Islam. Expect no headline-grabbing breakthroughs at the China-EU summit in Beijing on February 14. China is unlikely to drop its strong opposition to the EU's Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), there will be no spectacular China-funded rescue package to ease the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis and Beijing will remain outside the international consensus on sanctions against Syria and Iran.
Taking EU-India relations beyond trade
By Shada Islam. Negotiations on a first-ever EU-India free trade agreement are injecting much-needed excitement into Europe’s relationship with India. Despite earlier hopes, the trade deal will not be signed at the 12th EU-India summit in Delhi on February 10th.
Democracy is hard work, says Indonesian leader
by Shada Islam For a quick insight into Indonesia’s ambitions of exerting regional power and global influence, visit Bali in December when the laid-back luxury beach resort morphs into an animated hub of discussion and debate on democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
All op-eds

Understanding China

 

Setting the record straight on China’s global ambitions

by David Gosset, Director of the Euro-China Centre for international and business relations at the China Europe International Business School, talks about German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Beijing and the prospects for relations between Europe and China. Gosset speaks from Shanghai with Rishaad Salamat on Bloomberg Television's "On the Move Asia." To watch the video please click here.

Europe's World

 

Setting the record straight on China’s global ambitions

by Zhaoxing Li Perhaps the most salient feature of the 21st Century so far has been China’s emergence as a global force. Li Zhaoxing, who was the Chinese foreign minister until 2007, sets out here to correct some of the common misapprehensions about China’s international goals and intentions.
 
The Arab spring is a make or break challenge for the EU’s global role

by Massimo D'Alema Europe propped-up discredited Arab regimes and failed to create worthwhile economic and political ties with its own southern neighbourhood. Massimo D’Alema warns that a concerted and ambitious EU development strategy is already slipping away thanks to European divisions and irresolution.

All Articles

News

ADB says South Asia not meeting key MDG targets
South Asian nations are making the least progress in the Asia-Pacific region on meeting the Millennium Development Goals they pledged to achieve by 2015, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Piebalgs announces €150 million aid package for Burma/Myanmar
EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs has expressed support for easing sanctions against Burma/Myanmar, noting the importance of sending a message of political support to the reform efforts being undertaken by the country.
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About Global Europe

Europe’s role on the global stage is under intense scrutiny in this post-Lisbon era. Friends of Europe has for more than a decade analysed the major economic, environmental and security issues that confront developed, emerging and developing nations in an inter-connected and globalised world. Global Europe provides a platform to debate Europe’s relationship with major regions and countries in the world including Asia, Latin America, the Balkans, China, Russia, Turkey as well as transatlantic cooperation.

Asia Programme

Asia and Europe are key economic partners with much to contribute to one another in the economic, security, political, social and cultural fields. Through activities ranging from high-level conferences to seminars, roundtable discussions, and publications, with a strong emphasis on policy recommendations, the Asia Programme will contribute to a new EU strategy for Asia.

Understanding China

Friends of Europe is a partner of the Understanding China programme that is co-funded by the European Commission and implemented by EUROCHAMBRES, Friends of Europe and other partners. A 3-year programme, it is planned to continue until mid-2012. For more information, please visit the website at www.understandingchina.eu

Europe China Forum-中欧论坛

Europe China Forum (中欧论坛) - Brussels is a joint initiative of Friends of Europe and the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the EU. Over the coming years, this annual high-level meeting will bring together policymakers, business representatives and leading academics from across Europe and China to discuss issues of shared interest and address pressing common challenges.

The Forum is an ambitious and innovative project aimed at promoting greater EU-China engagement and cooperation. It aims to provide a platform to examine and shape all key aspects of EU-China relations through lively debates.

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