A regular feed of noteworthy articles on the EU-East Asia ties
EU-China ties: Beyond the headlines, Friends of Europe (Feb.)
@ Business Week
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 European Union’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.The EU, meanwhile, will stay firm on keeping its arms embargo on China and not grant Beijing much-coveted status as a market economy.
Discord on these and other issues is only part of the story, however. There is more to the EU-China relationship than meets the eye. New economic and geo-political realities are prompting both sides to sidestep old grievances, think afresh and try to seek out common ground. [continue reading]
Discord on these and other issues is only part of the story, however. There is more to the EU-China relationship than meets the eye. New economic and geo-political realities are prompting both sides to sidestep old grievances, think afresh and try to seek out common ground. [continue reading]
EU business in Pyongyang- an alternative solution for opening up North Korea?, The Beginner (Feb.)
@ Johan Huizinga
An interview with Mr. Jean-Jacques Grauhar, Secretary General of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK), to discuss EU business contacts with North Korea.
“Despite diplomatic presence, European businesses are not interested in the short-term”, he says answering a question on the nature of EU business ties with the North and setting the tone for what turned out be an unexpectedly surprising and counter-intuitive interview.
“These ties can be divided into two categories, investment and trading. On the investment front, no EU company would invest there because of the legal and political framework”, he continues referring to the international sanctions to dissuade North Korea from pursuing uranium enrichment." [continue reading]
“Despite diplomatic presence, European businesses are not interested in the short-term”, he says answering a question on the nature of EU business ties with the North and setting the tone for what turned out be an unexpectedly surprising and counter-intuitive interview.
“These ties can be divided into two categories, investment and trading. On the investment front, no EU company would invest there because of the legal and political framework”, he continues referring to the international sanctions to dissuade North Korea from pursuing uranium enrichment." [continue reading]
China's Role in the Future of Europe, Beijing Review (Jan.)
@ China Economic Review
For decades, the West questioned the Chinese political system and its capacity to bring socio-economic progress to the Chinese people. But, in a striking reversal, while the 2008 financial crisis exposed Western hubris, Chinese analysts are now trying to assess the nature and the significance of the Occupy Wall Street protests or the Indignants movement in Spain.
In 2011, the Chinese media, academia and think tanks expressed serious concerns about the viability of the European project and the effectiveness of the EU's leadership.At least two new elements characterize the current stage of the European construction: internally, the relative weight of Germany—both an effect of the reunification and of the positive impact of the euro on the German economy—and externally, the China factor. [continue reading]
In 2011, the Chinese media, academia and think tanks expressed serious concerns about the viability of the European project and the effectiveness of the EU's leadership.At least two new elements characterize the current stage of the European construction: internally, the relative weight of Germany—both an effect of the reunification and of the positive impact of the euro on the German economy—and externally, the China factor. [continue reading]
Timing not right for Taiwan FTA with EU, Taipei Times (Dec.)
© Central News Agency (CNA)
The Chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group said the EU should “help to ensure Taiwan’s long-term economic prosperity by helping Taiwan to diversify its global economic perspectives” because “Taiwan does not want to become over-dependent on one economic partner [China].”
Sean Kelly, a member of the European People’s Party, said he was disappointed at the tone of Ciolos’ response to “this very important topic.”
“I think the message has to go out loud and clear that we want a little more action, a little more pluck, from the commission than what we have seen and certainly from what we have heard this evening. I get the impression that there is reluctance, that China might not be happy with us if we are engaging too much with Taiwan,” Kelly said. [continue reading]
Sean Kelly, a member of the European People’s Party, said he was disappointed at the tone of Ciolos’ response to “this very important topic.”
“I think the message has to go out loud and clear that we want a little more action, a little more pluck, from the commission than what we have seen and certainly from what we have heard this evening. I get the impression that there is reluctance, that China might not be happy with us if we are engaging too much with Taiwan,” Kelly said. [continue reading]
EU Sees Chance for Deal With China Over Climate Road Map, Bloomberg (Dec.) © France 24
The European Union hopes to win China’s agreement on a road map to a global greenhouse gas- lowering treaty after the world’s second-biggest economy said a rift over post-2012 goals risk the collapse of climate talks.
The EU wants the largest emitters to agree by 2015 on a binding pact to be enacted in 2020 at the latest and offered in exchange an extension to its carbon-reduction goals under the United Nations Kyoto Protocol. The bloc said it hopes to find “common ground” with China, which objects to any binding goals for poorer countries and increased pressure on industrialized nations to adopt further emissions-reduction targets at a summit that started this week in Durban, South Africa. [continue reading] Should Asia Try to Rescue Europe?, The Diplomat (Nov.) © AFP- Getty images
China can’t be expected to lead a rescue of Europe’s teetering economy. But as the risk of pain in Asia grows, some kind of concerted effort is looking essential.
The leaders of debt-ridden Europe have got Asia on speed dial. The answers to the solvency nightmares of Greece and Europe’s other struggling economies, be they the purchase of bonds or contributions to the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF), seem to European leaders like France’s Nicolas Sarkozy to lie at least in part in Asia’s cash-rich, high-growth nations. [continue reading] In Search of Leverage With China, The New York Times (Nov.) © Nelson Ching / Bloomberg
Karel De Gucht is not shy about speaking out about Europe’s tetchy relations with China. As the E.U. trade commissioner, one of his aims is to create a level playing field for European companies investing in the world’s fastest-growing large economy, a goal that seems ever more urgent given Europe’s current financial woes.
Mr. De Gucht has power and leverage. He does not need agreement from all 27 member states to push through measures. But with the European Union now seeking help from China to deal with the bloc’s debt crisis, Europe’s economic and political credibility is at stake. [continue reading] EU and China at moment of truth, Asian Times (Nov.) © euronews
For the European Union, and in particular the eurozone, the last three months
have been a never-ending trial by fire. Emergency summits have taken place
almost weekly across the usual key parts of the EU power terrain - Brussels,
Paris, Berlin and Rome.
This turmoil managed to cause the postponement of the slated visit by European Council president Hermann Van Rompuy for the biannual high-level summit to China, originally planned for the October 25. [continue reading] 1997 Korea vs. 2011 eurozone, The Korea Times (Nov.)
 © Atlantic Council
In the European Union, the Greek sovereign debt problem is a hot issue. If it triggers fears of a default in Ireland and Italy as well, the crisis could rapidly spiral out of control.
Therefore, the European Central Bank with the help of the German and French governments is trying to hammer out a way to forge the Greek national debt into a manageable form. It may be useful to compare and contrast the underlying causes of this crisis for the current EU countries in question with Korea in 1997, and the course of action to cope with each crisis respectively. [continue reading] |
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