European Union and Asian Countries

The relationship between Europe and Asia is of increasing importance in the twenty-first century. The challenges straddling the two continents include immigration, poverty, environmental degradation, terrorism, drugs, nuclear proliferation and internecine strife. This book explores the significance of Asia for Europe in general and the EU in particular, calling for a much more sophisticated mutual understanding. George Wiessala analyses the existing Asia Policy of the European Union, tracing its development over the past 30 years, to the 2001 publication of the new strategy document, ＂Europe and Asia: A Strategic Framework for Enhanced Partnership＂. He also looks in detail at the importance of ASEM, and at the relationship between the EU and the various regional bodies, especially ASEAN. The book goes beyond a practical analysis of the developing economic and political relationship between the two continents to explore cultural questions, and possible tensions between Asian and European values.

Georg Wiessala is Senior Lecturer in European Studies at the University of Central Lancashire.