The rapid development of China’s public diplomacy: what does it mean for Europe?
On 13 January 2015, Madariaga – College of Europe Foundation organised a lunch seminar: “The rapid development of China’s public diplomacy: what does it mean for Europe?”, on occasion of the launch of the book China’s Public Diplomacy by Ingrid d’Hooghe and Brill Nijhoff.
The debate was moderated by Jan Melissen, Senior Research Fellow, The Clingendael Institute and Professor of Diplomacy, University of Antwerp. The speakers (speakers’ bios) to this seminar were:
- Ingrid d’Hooghe, Senior Research Associate, The Clingendael Institute
- Damien Helly, Deputy Head of programme Strengthening European External Action, European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), one of the experts of the “Preparatory Action”
- Ji Rong, Deputy Director, Press and Communication Section, Chinese Mission to the EU
- Walter Zampieri, Head of Unit, Culture policy and intercultural dialogue, DG Education and Culture, European Commission
On this occasion, Damien Helly delivered a presentation (download the full presentation here) on the implications for Europe of China’s public diplomacy. Here are his key messages:
Cultural relations are important – the EU should invest to become an enabling power, an interpreter and a ‘composer’;
The EU should act as a block with an external cultural strategy and use subsidiarity in cultural relations beyond the traditional public diplomacy model;
There should be continued investment in exchanges, scientific cooperation and co-working to compose new common spaces between EU and Chinese counterparts;
The EU should create a European Foundation for external cultural relations at arm’s length from the EU institutions and Member States.