European Union-China Strategic Partnership within the Scope of China's Mediterranean Policies

Year 2021, Volume: 35 Issue: 3, 1145 - 1164, 15.07.2021

Cemre Pekcan Ayşe Gülce Uygun

https://doi.org/10.16951/atauniiibd.907251

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The Strategic Partnership, established between the European Union and China in 2003, ensured the rapid development of bilateral relations. However, different approaches of the parties towards regional and global policies, fundamental values and norms led the European Union to define China as a “systemic rival” instead of “strategic partner. This article focuses on China's policies towards the Mediterranean through One Belt One Road project and how the European Union evaluates these policies. The main claim of the article is that China has developed individual partnerships with Mediterranean members by taking advantage of the disunity of the European Union and does not consider the European Union as a regional active actor within the scope of Mediterranean policies. In this framework, the European Union-China relations are examined during transformation from partnership to competition, and the Mediterranean is considered as a struggle area for the Union. In addition, China's policies towards the Mediterranean and China’s bilateral relations with Mediterranean members are analyzed. Finally, the concerns about China's increasing influence in the Mediterranean and their reflections in terms of the European Union unity are evaluated.

Keywords

European Union, China, Mediterranean, Strategic Partnership, One Belt One Road Initiative

Çin’in Akdeniz Politikaları Kapsamında Avrupa Birliği-Çin Stratejik Ortaklığı

Abstract

Avrupa Birliği ve Çin arasında temelleri 2003 yılında atılan Stratejik Ortaklık, ikili ilişkilerin birçok alanda hızla gelişmesini sağlamıştır. Buna karşın, tarafların bölgesel ve küresel politikalara, temel değerlere ve normlara yönelik yaklaşım farklılıkları, Avrupa Birliği’nin Çin’i zaman içerisinde ‘stratejik ortak’ yerine ‘sistemik rakip’ olarak tanımlamasına yol açmıştır. Bu makale, Çin’in Bir Kuşak Bir Yol projesi kapsamında Akdeniz’e yönelik politikalarına ve Avrupa Birliği’nin bu politikaları nasıl değerlendirdiğine odaklanmaktadır. Makalenin temel iddiası, Çin’in Avrupa Birliği’nin bütünleşememiş yapısından faydalanarak Birliğin Akdenizli üyeleriyle bireysel ortaklıklar geliştirdiği ve Avrupa Birliği’ni Akdeniz politikaları kapsamında bölgesel etkin bir aktör olarak değerlendirmediğidir. Bu bağlamda makalede Avrupa Birliği-Çin ilişkileri ortaklıktan rekabete dönüşen seyirde incelenmekte, Akdeniz, Birlik açısından bir mücadele alanı olarak ele alınmaktadır. Ayrıca, Çin’in Akdeniz’e yönelik politikaları ve Akdenizli üyeler ile kurduğu bireysel ikili ilişkilere odaklanılmakta; Çin’in Akdeniz’de artan etkinliğinin yarattığı endişeler ele alınarak, Avrupa Birliği açısından yansımaları değerlendirilmektedir.

Keywords

Avrupa Birliği, Çin, Akdeniz, Kuşak Yol Projesi, Stratejik Ortaklık

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