中欧社会论坛 - China Europa Forum

In the last few years Europe has been undergoing a major crisis shaking not only its economic and financial foundations but also its social and political stability and common beliefs. This crisis is now slowly leading to a renewed approach to the definition of more efficient cooperation and more deeply rooted togetherness between the various European nations and regions. China’s rapid economic growth is at the same time exacerbating many serious domestic political and social issues and tensions as well as a need for reviewing China’s role and responsibilities in the world.

1. Starting from the economic level, the European integration has entered the political level and social levels meaning that the crisis also represents an opportunity

Prof Gil Delannoi of Sciences Po believed that Euro itself had no problem, but the management mechanism of Euro had flaws, and recommended the deepening of European integration. Different from questioning the social welfare system in Europe, Prof SONG Xinning of Renmin University of China said that in addition to the further deepening of the integration, the way out for the crisis in Europe should also include the restructuring or reform of the social welfare policy; and it would offer beneficial revelation to China’s establishment of its social security system. Prof Thomas Christiansen of Maastricht University proposed that Euro crisis exposed the ugly side of the split within the EU, however, the crisis provided Europe with an opportunity to establish a more rational, more rigorous supranational power system.

2. Constitutional democracy encounters globalisation and China’s reform enters a “deep water” area

Prof QIN Hui of Tsinghua University pointed out that when constitutional democracy encountered globalization, if the process of democratization could not be promoted globally, the existing democratic system was very problematic. Prof HU Xingdou of Beijing Institute of Technology believed that, at present, China faces three traps: the trap of nationalism, the trap of economism, and the trap of militarism, and it was necessary to establish a constitutional market economy to solve the problems.

3. How can China start the transition? The key is to look for its own way

Prof QIN Hui believed that, to reduce resistance to the transition, bureaucratic capitalists should not be pardoned but on the contrary should be put under pressure, and citizens should hold the government accountable for its powers and the welfare system. The purpose of the accountability system is to draw near constitutionalism. Prof HU Xingdou said that the compromising spirit of democracy should be to make the vested interests of China agree to reform and to protect some of their interests in order to let them turn over part of their properties and powers. Colonel Manfred Werner Rosenberger believed that China and Europe had different geographical, historical and cultural conditions and that it was not possible to rigidly implement certain kinds of system in China. China needed to find its own path for the transition.