started to grow in a comprehensive way, while the cultural exchange activities
between China and the EU were limited since diplomacy was part of the domestic
affairs of each member state. Starting 2006, given EU’s competence expansion, the
implementation of China’s oversea cultural strategy and the progress of China-EU
relations, cultural exchanges between China and the EU gradually moved forward.
It was announced at the China-EU Summit in 2010 that the China-EU cultural
exchanges (or people to people dialogue in the EU’s term) would be developed as
the“third pillar”along with the trade relations and political dialogue in the
“China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.
4.1 2003–2005: Overview of the China-EU Cultural
Exchanges
In October, 2003, in a policy paper on relations with the EU, the Chinese government
initially proposed to comprehensively develop the China-EU cultural exchanges,
calling both sides“to learn from each other, pursue common development, expand
people to people exchanges, promote the harmony and enrichment of eastern and
western cultures”, so as to include cultural exchanges as part of the“educational,
scientific, cultural and health”cooperation. Chinese government was also dedicated to
enhance and deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation with EU member states in a
more open way, and gradually develop a framework for multi-level, all-round cultural
exchanges between China and the EU, EU member states and their local governments,
as well as non-governmental and commercial counterparties. This would facilitate
people in China and the EU to appreciate the splendid culture from each other.
Moreover, China decided to establish Chinese Culture Centers in the capitals of EU
member states and in Brussels where the EU is headquartered, while the EU side is
welcomed to set up a cultural center in Beijing under the principle of reciprocity and
mutual benefit. The document also encouraged China and the EU to jointly initiate
high-quality cultural exchange activities to develop new models for cooperation in the
cultural industry, so as to explore a communication mechanism of China-EU cultural
cooperation and jointly hosting the“China-EU Cultural Forum”.
In response to China’s proposal, the EU stated in a paper released subsequently
on China policy that“they would support the initiative of the Chinese side i.e. to
deal with the interpersonal relationships within the cultural and civilization dialogue
framework”, and“in order to promote mutual understanding, measures should be
taken to encourage people-to-people exchanges by intensifying exchanges in the
areas of tourism, education and culture”. However, the EU only played a supporting
role in limitedfields at that time due to a lack of competence for entering into
comprehensive cultural cooperation with China. Cultural activities towards China at
the EU level specified in this paper were limited to the following:“the delegation of
EU to China strengthens contacts with Chinese universities, e.g. setting up forums
when senior officials of the EU visit China and establishing few EU research
centers; in the cultural sphere, the EU delegation to China and EU member states
94 T. Dewen