The Role of Regions in EU-China Relations

More and more regions are cooperating with their Chinese counterparts in many different areas: economy, environment, culture, academic exchange. Although the subnational dimension has started to be a visibly important element of EU-China relations, this trend is not reflected in the academic literature on EU-China relations. Until now, we have not known what the network of contacts with China at the regional level looks like and what the determinants and institutional forms of inter-regional partnerships there are. The present book maps Sino-European relations at the regional level and presents a detailed analysis of subnational contacts in the six analysed EU member states, illustrated by case studies of interesting regions from each country. It shows the rising role of non-state actors in international relations, the growing importance of paradiplomacy, as well as the necessity to look at the EU-China relations as a multi-layer phenomenon, engaging different types of actors on different levels.

Introduction (Tomasz Kamiński) 7 Chapter 1. EU–China paradiplomacy – the perspective of cities, regions and provinces (Adriana Skorupska, Justyna Szczudlik) 13 Chapter 2. Germany (Tomasz Kamiński, Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska) 27 Chapter 3. Italy (Tomasz Kamiński, Michał Gzik) 59 Chapter 4. The United Kingdom (Justyna Szczudlik) 79 Chapter 5. France (Adriana Skorupska) 111 Chapter 6. Spain (Adriana Skorupska) 135 Chapter 7. Poland (Adriana Skorupska) 161 Conclusions (Tomasz Kamiński, Adriana Skorupska, Justyna Szczudlik) 193 Bibliography 201 Index of Tables and Figures 221 Annex: Local and regional authorities included in the analysis 224 About Authors 227