Author: Lirong Liu.

China’s engagement in Africa has obliged the EU to re-evaluate its own relationship with that continent. Since 2008, in an attempt to resolve the conflicts of norms and interests, the EU has proposed establishing a tri- lateral dialogue and cooperation mechanism between the EU, China and Africa, which so far has not yielded any substantial results. The differ- ences between China’s and the EU’s Africa policies are mainly visible in two areas: aid and security. The contradiction between their respective aid policies lies in China’s ‘no-strings-attached aid’ versus European ‘condi- tionality’ or emphasis on ‘fundamental principles’. With regard to their security approaches in Africa, China’s non-interference policy and the Eu- ropean concept of human security are clearly not on the same wavelength. Promoting common normative values and principles is at the core of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), which is important for the EU’s self-construction at present. China’s non-interference policy is re- lated to its domestic security and stability and in this context it engages in its own rhetoric. In matters of principle it is difficult for both sides to make compromises or accept limitations imposed by the other. China’s attitude towards the EU initiative has been very cautious. As a rapidly growing global actor, China hopes to be more active in the formu- lation of multilateral international mechanisms. However, China is also concerned that its African policy and decision-making may be adversely affected and restricted by the ‘common principles’ advocated by the EU and the ‘leading role’ traditionally played by Western powers in interna- tional cooperation frameworks involving Africa. Regarding the objective of the trilateral dialogue mechanism, there is a tendency in Europe to un- derstand the dialogue as a one-way process that will ultimately lead to the unilateral ‘socialisation’ of China – to recapitulate a term previously used in the context of the EU’s enlargement towards Central and Eastern European countries, and referring to the process whereby candidate coun- tries would adopt EU norms and values. But this confronts the EU with a dilemma. On the one hand, the EU tries to spread its norms and values in Africa in order to extend its real power in the world, but its efforts in this regard have been limited by the emergence of other big powers like China. On the other hand, the EU lacks sufficient leverage, i.e. hard power or real power, to persuade China to embrace European norms and values. Where Africa is concerned, China has little interest in internalising European val- ues and norms and even less incentive to do so.