This paper examines the impact of policies of the European Union (EU) on the human rights development in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). To this end the definition of human rights from a United Nations perspective will be used.
After briefly looking at the history of human rights abuses in China, the paper turns towards the main analysis shedding light on the EU’s conditional engagement policy towards China and the nature of the EU-China relations - whether it be a true strategic partnership or merely a strategic dialogue.
The paper then evaluates the success of the EU’s policy by looking at how far it has been able to achieve its objectives set with regard to human rights in the PRC. Moving on from the achievements to date, a critical outlook on the prospects of Europe’s strategy is given comprising an analysis of the opportunities and challenges the EU is likely to face in this respect.
Finally, the paper concludes that the impact of the European Union on the human rights development in China remains far from clear-cut. Whereas some scholars and politicians attribute much of the observed advancements to Europe’s conditional engagement policy, others challenge this view and contest that developments in this area are predominantly related to China’s overall economic progress. While the truth probably lies somewhere in between these two opposing views, future human rights development in the PRC will nevertheless remain a challenging task. Whereas developments on the economic and social side are also in China’s interest and will thus be relatively easy to promote, holistic progress - including civil and political rights - will only be possible if substantial differences between the EU and China can successfully be dissolved. Amongst other things, this will require the development of deep mutual cultural understanding and the discovery of sophisticated, novel negotiation approaches. Due to the complexity and sensitivity of the involved issues meaningful progress will only develop gradually, though, and the achievement of a universally acceptable human rights standard in China will still require a substantial amount of time as well as the willingness to compromise on behalf of both parties.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Human Rights
2.1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
3. History of the Human Rights Situation in China
3.1. Mao Zedong
3.1.1. Invasion of Tibet
3.1.2. Cultural Revolution
3.2. Tiananmen Square
3.3. Falun Gong
3.4. Recent Developments: The Beijing Olympics and Tibet Protests
4. The European Union’s China Policy
4.1. Strategic Partnership vs. Strategic Dialogue
4.2. Conditional/Constructive Engagement
5. Impact of EU Policy on Human Rights Situation in China
5.1. Achievements to date
5.2. Future Challenges and Prospects
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
7.1. Scientific Sources
7.2. Non-Scientific Sources
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to evaluate the impact of the European Union's (EU) conditional engagement policies on the development of human rights in the People's Republic of China (PRC), while addressing the complexity and potential trade-offs inherent in this relationship.
- Analysis of the EU's conditional engagement policy towards China.
- Evaluation of human rights progress in the PRC since 1949.
- Comparison of the strategic partnership vs. strategic dialogue frameworks.
- Assessment of challenges such as civil vs. economic rights priorities.
- Discussion on the influence of cultural perspectives on human rights and democracy.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1. Invasion of Tibet
About one year after the proclamation of the PRC, Mao ordered the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to invade the then autonomous state Tibet and the PRC claimed sovereignty over the entire Tibetan territory shortly afterwards. Apart from the fact that this act can be regarded as an illegal invasion and annexation which constitutes a serious violation of the sovereignty of nations and international law, as pointed out by Teng (1995), China has been accused of a large variety of human rights violations in the region. More than a million Tibetans disappeared as a consequence of the invasion, most of which are believed to have lost their lives. Others were prosecuted, detained into so-called re-education camps, and subjected to torture in order to break their resistance to the Chinese occupation. Many of the detainees never came close to court or anything that could be deemed a fair legal process (Draguhn & Goodman, 2002; Meisner, 1999; Wikipedia, 2008b). The two most prominent victims of prosecution are the two highest ranking lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. Whereas the former had to flee from China to evade detention and imprisonment, the latter died in 1989 under mysterious circumstances. He was replaced by a new Panchen Lama determined by the Chinese authorities, after Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama as ordained by the Dalai Lama, had disappeared under unsolved circumstances shortly after his selection. In context of his disappearance, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima has been termed the “youngest political prisoner in the world” (Lim, 2006). With their policy towards the spiritual and political leaders of the Tibetans the Chinese aim to suppress any demands or claims for autonomy as well as religious sentiments among the Tibetan population. Manifestation of their religion is thus another area in which the Tibetans are faced by severe human rights violations. This latter point will be further elaborated on later in this study (Mingxu, 1998).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research objective regarding EU policy impact on human rights in China and provides a structural roadmap of the study.
2. Human Rights: Defines the conceptual framework based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent UN covenants.
3. History of the Human Rights Situation in China: Surveys major historical instances of human rights abuses in the PRC, including Tibet, the Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen Square.
4. The European Union’s China Policy: Examines the nature of EU-China relations and the mechanism of conditional/constructive engagement policies.
5. Impact of EU Policy on Human Rights Situation in China: Evaluates the achievements of EU strategy to date and considers future obstacles to further progress.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, noting the contested impact of the EU and identifying critical future factors like trade-offs and conflicts of interest.
7. Bibliography: Lists the academic and non-academic sources used throughout the research paper.
Keywords
European Union, People's Republic of China, Human Rights, Conditional Engagement, Foreign Policy, Tibet, Tiananmen Square, Falun Gong, International Relations, Democracy, Economic Development, Multilateralism, Cultural Understanding, Human Dignity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper examines the impact of the European Union's policy on the development of human rights within the People's Republic of China.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the EU-China strategic relationship, the historical context of human rights in China, the effectiveness of conditional engagement, and the challenges posed by differing definitions of democracy.
What is the main objective or research question?
The central goal is to determine whether EU conditional engagement strategies have effectively influenced the human rights situation in China and to evaluate the prospects for future success.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The study employs a descriptive and analytical approach, synthesizing existing reports, historical events, and political strategy papers to assess policy outcomes.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the history of human rights in China, an analysis of EU foreign policy towards the PRC, the specific impact of these policies on human rights, and potential future challenges.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Essential keywords include European Union, China, Human Rights, Conditional Engagement, Foreign Policy, Tibet, and Democracy.
How does the author characterize the impact of the EU's China policy?
The author concludes that the impact is not clear-cut; while economic progress is evident, the specific influence of EU political pressure remains a subject of intense debate among scholars.
What role does the 'harmonious society' concept play in the analysis?
The author notes that Chinese leadership uses this concept to prioritize social stability, often at the expense of civil and political rights, which complicates the EU's reform efforts.
- Quote paper
- Jens Hillebrand (Author), 2008, The EU and China, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/115369
