The European Union's international actorness and its China policy

Date

2026-9-11

Author

Kozluklu, Murat

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This thesis attempts to explore the impact of the European Union’s (EU) pursuit of international actorness on its foreign policies by examining the evolution of the EU’s China policy as a case study. This thesis regards actorness as an intersubjective quality and a part of identity-construction process. The lack of inherent actorness compels the EU to construct and maintain its actorness through internal consolidation and external manifestation. Performing its role as an international actor in its foreign engagements and eliciting recognition of others for its international role and status are vital dimensions of this external manifestation. This thesis examines, by using a qualitative methodology, official EU documents, diplomatic declarations, and secondary literature to understand the EU’s China policy and its change. Despite certain shortcomings, partnership with China has provided opportunities to the EU to affirm its actorness. The more assertive, authoritarian and protectionist posture embraced by China after Xi’s ascent to power have curtailed the opportunities for the EU to perform its role as promoter of liberal values. Additionally, the EU’s identity has been challenged by China’s campaign of promotion of an illiberal model of governance. The EU recalibrated the framework of its engagement with China and updated the role conceptions by assuming an additional role of defender of the liberal model to safeguard its international persona. The evolution of the EU’s China policy demonstrates that the ontological necessity of constructing and safeguarding its international actorness is among determinants of the EU’s foreign policy.

Subject Keywords

EU actorness, EU identity, EU’s China policy, Systemic rival

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/120681

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis