Table Of ContentThe European Union in
International Affairs
Series Editors
Sebastian Oberthür
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Knud Erik Jørgensen
Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Philomena B. Murray
University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Sandra Lavenex
University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
ThisBookSeriesaimstobeacentralresourceforthegrowingcommunity
of scholars and policy-makers who engage with the evolving interface
between the EU and international affairs. Its provides in-depth, cutting
edge and original contributions of world-class research on the EU in
international affairs by highlighting new developments, insights, chal-
lenges and opportunities. It encompasses analyses of the EU’s interna-
tional role, as mediated by its own Member States, in international
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AnnaKatharinaStahl
EU-China-Africa
Trilateral Relations
in a Multipolar
World
Hic Sunt Dracones
AnnaKatharinaStahl
CollegeofEurope
Bruges,Belgium
TheEuropeanUnioninInternationalAffairs
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For my family
In memoryofVincenzo Schioppa Narrante
F
OREWORD
This book could not be more timely. With the return of geopolitics,
economic convergence between East and West, and the emergence of a
multipolar international order, academic studies on the relationships
between different international players are of utmost importance.
Traditionally,scholarsofInternationalRelationsanddevelopmentstudies
have focused their attention on bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Instead, this book takes an innovative approach by exploring the new
trilateral relationship between the European Union (EU), China and
Africa.
Until not long ago, the USA and Russia were the two superpowers
dominatingworldaffairs.Thisbookshowsthatthecurrentworldorderis
undergoing a fundamental shift, moving away from a bilateral balance of
power. Dr. Anna Katharina Stahl’s research clearly highlights that as the
EU, China and Africa are expanding their international influence and
building new alliances, they are contributing to the establishment of a
newmultipolarworld.Eachofthethreepowerscontributesinitsownway
to transformingthe currentinternational architecture.
Foralongtime,Africahasbeenconsideredtheforgottencontinent.It
is now the home to six of the ten fastest growing economies and some-
timesreferredtoastheworld’snewgrowthengine.Africancountrieshave
made significant progress in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) that were formulated by the UN to replace the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). At the same time, China has witnessed an
unprecedentedeconomicprogressoverthepastfifteenyears.Onthebasis
ofitsextraordinaryeconomicgrowth,Chinaisalsoseekingtoplayamore
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viii FOREWORD
assertive international role. As the main driver of the BRICS, China is
beginningtoputforwardalternativeproposalsandideasofglobalgovern-
ance. China’s recent Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR) clearly illustrates
the ambitions of the Chinese leadership to move the world’s major eco-
nomic axis from the transatlantic alliance to a Eurasian one, while con-
nectingSouthChinaandEastAfrica.Thisgrandconnectivityprojectwill
revealwhetherinfrastructureinthedigitalagecanstillhavethesamekind
of geopolitical impact as Roman roads in Europe 2,000 years ago or
railways in the USA that connected the Atlantic and Pacific coast. The
establishmentoftheAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBank(AIIB)andthe
NewDevelopment Bank (NDB)areotherexamplesof Chineseeffortsto
transform the current landscape of international organisations. The two
internationalfinancialinstitutions(IFIs)reflectthedissatisfactionofChina
andother emerging countries with their shareof voting rights withinthe
established IFIs.
Alongside Africa and China, the EU has also become an increasingly
importantplayerontheglobalstage.InternationalRelationsscholarshave
oftendescribedtheEUasaweakandincoherentinternationalactor.Yet,
with the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, the EU has
improved its institutional consistency and started to engage in a more
effective foreign policy. The Lisbon Treaty created a range of new
Europeaninstitutionsspecificallydedicatedforeignpolicymaking,namely
the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy, and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The EEAS is
the EU’s diplomatic service and supports the EU High Representative in
conducting EU foreign and security policy. It is responsible for the run-
ningofmorethanonehundredEUdelegationsaroundtheworld,which
is a clear indication of the EU’s growing global presence. Last year, the
EU adopted a new Global Strategy for European Foreign and Security
Policy. This important policy document provides the EU with a strategic
vision and framework to face today’s international challenges in a strong
and coherent manner. Moreover, EU policymakers have formulated spe-
cificpoliciesregardingChinaandAfrica.Theyputforwardanewstrategy
for China and are currently revising the EU’s longstanding partnership
with Africa.
Anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the transforming world
order and unfolding trilateral relations between the EU, China and
Africawill find thisbookfascinating.The threecases studiespresentedin
thisbookofferawiderangeofnewempiricalevidence,collectedthrough
FOREWORD ix
painstaking fieldworkin ChinaandAfrica. Stahl’soriginal researchshows
that the emerging EU-China-Africa relationship will have to stand the
test, whether the EU and China can move beyond accusations of patern-
alisms or neo-colonial behaviour. It also raises the question of how this
trilateral relationship between unequal, yet unavoidable, partners can
flourishagainst the background ofmajor globaltectonicsshifts.
Dr.Gerhard Sabathil
EU Ambassador to theRepublic ofKorea ret.
Visiting ProfessoratSichuan University,Chengdu, China
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thisbookistheresultofalongandexcitingresearchjourneythatallowed
me to broaden my European perspective and to discover many different
facetsoftherapidlychangingglobalorder.Duringthisjourney,Iencoun-
tered a variety of different individuals and institutions in Europe, China
andAfrica, andIam deeplygrateful fortheir support.
I am indebted, in particular, to two institutions for their generous
support. The Institute for European Studies (IES) of the Vrije
Universiteit Brussel (VUB) for giving me the opportunity to work as a
doctoral researcher in a stimulating academic environment and the
College of Europe for allowing me to contribute to the establishment of
a new EU-China Research Centre and supporting me in the process of
transforming my doctoral dissertation into this book. The completion of
this book would not have been possible without the inspiration and
intellectual input of a number of people. I would like to express my
appreciation to my PhD supervisor Professor Gustaaf Geeraerts, as well
asthemembersofmydoctoraljury,ProfessorChrisAlden,ProfessorJury
Devuyst, Dr. Sven Grimm, Professor Eva Gross, Professor Sebastian
Obertühr and Professor Stefaan Smis. I am also grateful for the support
of Professor Sieglinde Gstöhl and Professor Simon Schunz, as well as
Professor Katja Biedenkopf, Professor Joachim Koops and Professor
AlexanderMattelaer.
The research project has benefitted from field research in China and
Africa,aswellasfrominterviewscarriedoutinEurope.Eachofthemore
than 100 interviews with European, Chinese and Africa experts has con-
tributed to connecting the pieces of the research puzzle. I would like to
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