Opinion | How China’s reluctance to expand a fragile ‘rules-based order’ weakens its trust with Europe
- Mathieu Duchatel writes that China’s unwillingness to broaden a commitment with other countries to follow agreed rules contradicts its pro-multilateral governance narrative
It has become the core Chinese message to European audiences: let us defend the multilateral rules-based order together. This is music to the ears of European leaders desperately needing support to withstand the Trump administration’s unceasing assaults on global governance.
Seen from Europe, the US’ withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement and its departure from the nuclear deal with Iran, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA), are not abstract matters but the unravelling of a years-long effort to build stable foundations for international security and sustainable development.
At the 20th EU-China summit last July in Beijing, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment “to multilateralism and the rules-based international order with the United Nations at its core”. There is only one problem: this is a convergence without much substance.
Despite such good intentions and a comprehensive strategic partnership, the EU and China approach the end of 2018 with almost no positive record of successful cooperation in international organisations.
This is the result of their relative weakness vis-à-vis the United States in the case of JCPOA, but also of China’s pursuit of priorities other than its stated aspiration to multilateral governance – priorities that include relations with Russia.