US-EU Relations: How Divergent China Strategies Affect Bilateral Relations and the US Ability to Protect the Rules-Based International Order Through a Multilateral Approach
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2022-06-15
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en
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This thesis centers around the central research question “how do the divergent China strategies of the
US and the EU during the Biden presidency affect the bilateral relationship, and what does this mean
for the US ability to protect the US-led rules-based liberal international order against the threat of
China’s rise through Biden’s envisioned multilateral approach?” Accordingly, US-EU relations are
analyzed based on their divergent perceptions and strategies toward China. The concept of triangularity
is used to develop a better understanding of the consequences of the dynamics in bilateral relations
between the three blocks. As triangularity prescribes that developments between two nations within the
triangle, affect relations with the third nation, it can be analyzed how divergent perceptions and
strategies toward China can have an affect on the US-EU relations. This is especially relevant because
the US perceives China as a competitor, systemic rival and, therefore, major threat to the US-led rulesbased international order and President Biden envisions to approach this threat through multilateral
cooperation with the US’s major partners. As the US-EU relationship is characterized by similar values
towards human rights, deep economic cooperation and a common interest in the preservation of the USled rules-based liberal international order, characterized by free and open markets, international laws,
principles, agreements, and institutions, the EU would be a major player in Biden’s multilateral approach
to protect this rules-based order. By setting out the historical developments of US-Sino relations, the
US’s and EU’s strategies vis-à-vis China, and a triangular analysis on how these divergent strategies
affect US-EU relations and the US ability to protect the rules-based international order through a
multilateral approach, this thesis emphasizes a potential gravity shift by the EU away from the US and
towards China as US-EU relations deteriorated and Biden has not yet been able to restore the
relationship. Moreover, EU economic interests in China and trade opportunities deriving from the USSino trade war enable this potential shift. Yet, it must be recognized that the EU, adopting a multifaceted
approach to China, sees China not only as an economic partner, but also as a systemic rival and has
significant concerns about Chinese cyberthreats and disinformation. Therefore, the value-based,
historical relation between the US and the EU is not easily interchangeable.
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