| Relations between the People’s republic of China and Taiwan have become increasingly tense. With its democratically elected parliament and government, its constitution, pluralist society and open market economy, Taiwan has all the attributes of a sovereign state. Due to the heritage of China’s civil war, however, the PRC claims Taiwan as part of its territory and requires all nations - including the European Union- that establish official diplomatic relations with the PRC to exercise a One-China-policy which excludes diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Nevertheless, many nations have developed intensive political, economic, and social ties with Taiwan. This status quo on the Taiwan Strait has come under immense pressure. China’s new foreign and domestic policies under Xi Jinping, rivalries and competition between China, Europe, and the United States, as well as various changes in the structure of global politics have put the existing set of bi- and multilateral ties under much strain. Taiwan and China are both important actors in the global economy and crucial partners of the EU. Given the changes in bilateral relations – China-Taiwan, China-EU – and global disruptions, the European Union has started to revise both its China- and its Taiwan-policies. While economic prospects and the idea of shared global responsibilities dominated the past, security concerns and the notion of systemic rivalry seems to dominate these policies today. In this seminar, we will discuss different theoretical perspectives on the development of China-EU-Taiwan relations. We will analyze the securitization of economic, technological, and societal issues in this context and seek a better understanding of the interplay between global and domestic developments with foreign policy-making. |
- Kursleiter/in: Jörn-Carsten Gottwald
Semester: WT 2023/24