Kluczowe problemy polityczne w dialogu Unii Europejskiej z Chińską Republiką Ludową na progu XXI wieku

The article presents the political aspect of relations between European Union and China. It focuses on the following issues: human rights, European embargo on arms' sales, environment, technology transfer and external dimension of their partnership (concerning USA and Africa). Those political aspects are gaining on importance since the economic ties between the two partners are getting stronger every year. Famous Chinese boom has made it one of the most important trade partners of the EU. Since 1978 (date of signature of commercial agreement), trade value have been multiplied by 60, reaching in 2006, more than 254 billion euro. Aware of this evolution, the European Commission has given the first impulse for developing closer relations. Its policy paper on China entitled „A long term policy for China Europe relations" published in 1995, is considered as a first European strategy towards this country. Since then, it has been completed by many other documents, giving a wide panorama of EU objectives towards China. The „leitmotiv" is engaging China into the international community, which means acting by positive means like development programs, technology transfers, and cultural exchanges. On the other hand it means fewer restrictions on the most sensitive issues, like human rights. In this field the traditional instrument of policy towards China: sanctions, has been replaced by dialogue, which is held on regular basis between EU and Chinese diplomats. The critical view on this matter is presented in this article. The Chinese side has soon welcomed the growing interest from the European side, since its fits very well its international strategy. The Chinese ambition is to become „the first league" player on the international scene and the European support seems to be precious for China. In 2003, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs published its first policy paper ever. Not surprisingly, it concerned relations with European Union. The Chinese vision is focused on "multilateralism" as the objective to reach in international relations. This implies that relations with EU are regarded in a wider perspective. The aspect concerning the United States has to be therefore taken into consideration. An important phase of EU-China relations will be marked by signing the new multicultural agreement, which was announced to be negotiated in January 2007.