Europe, China, and the Diffusion of Norms

Abstract

This chapter differentiates norms for states according to an internal-external dichotomy. While internal norms define what is regarded as appropriate behavior of nation-states in domestic governance, external norms define that in the international sphere. For China and the European Union (EU), their normative power resources, their efforts on norm diffusion, and their normative influence in the international arena, all constitute big contrasts. Their normative divergence is more evident and severe as concerns internal norms, with human rights and sovereignty the most noticeable, than compared to external norms, such as multipolarity for China and multilateralism for the EU. Despite the fact that the normative dimension has become an ever-greater irritant in China-EU relations, their normative engagement has also influenced positively on the establishement of the China-EU strategic partnership.