Polityka Unii Europejskiej wobec Chin: priorytety, wartości i wyzwania
European Union’s policy towards China: Priorities, values and challenges

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the results of an analysis of the relationship between the European Union and China. It emphasizes that a ‘systemic rivalry’ is emerging as the overriding paradigm in the EU’s foreign policy towards China, which should be understood as a confrontation of two different types of global governance: one based on Western democratic and liberal values, and the other on specific norms of the Chinese civilization. The article also identifies the main axes of the dispute around the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, EU’s defence measures against unfair trade practices from third countries, and the emphasis on the principle of reciprocity. On the basis of these issues, two auxiliary hypotheses are adopted. According to the first one, Brussels has limited, but still effective defence instruments against unfair trade practices by China. The second underlines that Europe and China compete and cooperate with each other at the same time. Research results show that, in the sphere of competition, the EU is stepping up its strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific and promoting all dimensions of digital, transport and people to people connectivity with regional partners, in many ways as a response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In the sphere of cooperation, the EU and China have long been working together on climate change and clean energy. However, their bilateral relations are limited by a disagreement over values which are fundamental for both sides and therefore difficult to be easily negotiated.

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