Conference Agenda

There are multiple reasons for the current rise for the far-right populism in various European countries, like economic, social, cultural and political causes. It is difficult to say which is the most important one. On the other hand, the impact of the rise of far-right populism in Europe is not only to Europe, but also to the transatlantic relations, and even to EU-China relations. There will be elections for the European Parliament in 2024, the far-right political groups are expected to gain more seats. This change will have important implications for European politics, the European Parliament and even the EU's external relations. Eu-China relations is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. China have been paying close attention to the rise of far-right populism in the European political landscape in recent years, so as the Chinese scholars.
Based on the background of globalization and informationization, Chinese scholars have conducted a large number of studies on European far0right populism since the 21st century. Only by strengthening communication and understanding the true thoughts of both sides can we promote the stable development of EU-China relations. The author will systematically sort out and summarize the research on European right-wing populism by Chinese scholars. Through the Chinese perspective, academics can understand a more three-dimensional and comprehensive European right-wing populism.

European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron believe that for Europe and Africa to move forward there need to be a complete overhaul of the current partnership between Africa and Europe. President Macron therefore emphasised on the need to establish a genuine system of peace and prosperity to build investments in Africa that would lead to a ‘shared future’ between Europe and Africa with the aim of reforging economic and financial ‘new deal’ with Africa. While acknowledging that relations between Africa and Europe were “tired’. The tired nature of relationship between Africa and Europe has rendered African more vulnerable to protracted experiences of food security, armed conflict and migration. These challenges and more are compounded by today’s immediate global concerns of health and climate change. Consequently, Africa has increasingly developed negative sentiments against European presence in the continent and is ready to trade in Europe for Russia and China. Hence, the rise of coup d’états in notably Francophone Africa. Among the multiple reasons, Africa continually yearns for equal partnership, not paternalism in its relationship with Europe. Conversely, the emergence of China as a key trade partner in Africa has demonstrated a more equal partnership with the continent than what Europe has offered pre and post colonialism. This paper therefore seeks to answer the following questions: What is the future of Europe vis-à-vis the increasing presence of China in Africa? How can Europe create a more equal partnership with Africa after six-decades of a donor-recipient relationship? Why is there a need to fundamentally shift relations between Europe and Africa? Answers to these questions would be obtained through extensive literature review of secondary data that comprise of journal articles, government publications, websites, books and other relevant sources.

The South Caucasus, comprising Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, holds significant strategic importance as a crossroads in the Eurasian continent. China turned its attention to the South Caucasus with the initiation of the Belt and Road Initiative by the Chinese government in 2013. Driven by economic, political, and security considerations, Chinese observers have developed a keen interest in the region. The recent transformative shifts in South Caucasus, particularly in terms of security and interstate relations following the Nagorno-Karabakh war, have emerged as a focal point in Eurasian geopolitics. This development has become a prominent research area in China. Meanwhile, within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) framework, the EU has implemented various initiatives to cultivate positive relations with these countries, aiming to safeguard EU interests and maintain regional stability. China closely observes the EU's policies, finding them a valuable reference for its own engagement in the region. Chinese experts employ a multi-dimensional perspective to study the ENP in the South Caucasus. This paper seeks to examine the research findings of Chinese scholars on the ENP and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) while analyzing their perspectives in comparison to those of European ones.