2nd ESiA Lecture Tour

The EU Through the Eyes of Asia: The Case of China and Hong Kong

 4-15 February 2008

 Warsaw | Prague | Vienna | Budapest | Ljubljana | Cork

Relations between the European Union (EU) and Asia have expanded rapidly over the last decades. Since its enlargement in 2004, the EU has become the largest economy in the world. Similarly, the Asian economy is booming, including in the countries of East Asia that were affected by the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997. The globalisation of the world economy means that the level of interdependence between the two regions is now at unprecedented levels. Strengthening EU-Asia relations is thus one of the EU's external policy priorities.

Discourse regarding the EU's strategy toward Asia has concentrated mainly on the promotion of trade, good governance, civil society development, bi-regional dialogue, as well as programmes on economic, commercial and development co-operation. In recent years, political and security co-operation have contributed to a wider spectrum of EU-Asia relations, presenting new opportunities for diplomatic maneuver. Certainly, what is needed is more than analyses of trade figures, tourist numbers, policy issues, common stances or areas of discord.  Thus, a key aspect of the European Commission's September 2001 Communication has been "to strengthen further the mutual awareness between Europe and Asia and to reduce persisting stereotypes."

 The two regions and indeed most of the world owe their sustained growth to the sheer size and appetite of the Chinese market. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of steel, the second biggest user of energy and the world's second-largest economy. In the context of its relations with the EU, China is the EU's second-largest trading partner, just behind the United States ; and the EU is China 's largest trading partner. It is therefore not surprising that contemporary EU-China dialogue is developing a much more prominent international profile than the EU's dialogue with the rest of Asia .

Trade and economic co-operation are of course a fundamental part of EU-China relations. However, the "comprehensive strategic partnership" - as it has become known - is based on much more than that. Yet, there is little information about how the EU is perceived in China . Further, given the conventional emphasis on the activities and importance of political elites, public perception of ordinary Chinese citizens toward the EU has received little attention.

This lecture sought to fill this gap by examining what Europe and the EU means to the citizens in China and Hong Kong , comparing the perceptions of the EU among the media, general public and elites. Key questions that were addressed include:

•  Is the EU a recognisable actor in the eyes the citizens of China and Hong Kong ?

•  What are the most mentioned images of the EU in China and Hong Kong ?

•  How would people in China and Hong Kong evaluate the current and future state of relationship with the EU?

•  How important is the EU to China and Hong Kong when compared to the United States and other neighbouring nations?

•  Has the enlargement process and other internal developments of the EU influenced how it is perceived by its Asian counterparts?

•  What are the major sources news and information about the EU in China and Hong Kong ?

•  Looking ahead, as the EU's relevance to China and Hong Kong is expected to grow, what are the opportunities and obstacles concerning the roles and expectations of the EU?

To the extent that EU political leaders pay attention to the various aspects of public perceptions in the process of policy formulation, this lecture will provide scientific and rigorous information regarding the attitudes and perceptions of citizens of two of the EU's long-term partners in the Far East . This lecture invited participants to ponder upon the strengths and weaknesses of European foreign policy, trade and development policy towards China and Hong Kong, and the emergence of China as a global player.

This lecture tour was organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation in partnership with the University of Warsaw, Charles University in Prague, the Austrian Institute for International Affairs, Corvinus University Budapest, the University of Ljubljana and the University College Cork.

Click on the links below to retrieve other relevant documents:

PowerPoint Presentation

Final Paper (not available)

1st ESiA Lecture Tour

The European Union through the Eyes of Asia: A Comparative Study of Media Perceptions

12-21 September 2006

Paris | Preston | Derry | Bristol | Pamplona | Brussels

According to Vice-President of the EU Commission Margot Wallström, an obstacle to creating a better connection between the EU and Europe 's citizens is a lack of any "common narrative" about the actual nature of European integration: "the real problem in Europe is that there is no agreement or understanding about what Europe is for and where it is going".

This absence of an EU roadmap or consensus on whether a federal "United States of Europe" is the end goal-or something else altogether-has created a confused and perplexing image for those outside the borders of the EU25. But how the EU is understood and seen from the outside is important as reflections from countries external to the EU, or "third countries", may help to more clearly identify and define Europe for itself. As a think-tank has argued regarding the EU's public diplomacy, for the Union to prosper it must project a positive image of itself to opinion-formers and to the 'man in the street' both within and beyond its borders. Yet, research on the external perceptions (both public and elite) of the EU is rare, as are analyses of how the international media represent and present the EU image abroad.

This lecture went someway to address this issue by presenting the findings from a series of third country studies in Asia undertaken from 2004-6 focused on the media and public opinion. Leading newspapers and TV channels in each selected country - Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and China - were analysed on a daily basis to ascertain the relative levels of EU news coverage, the topics chosen and the news sources used. This information was the analysed in terms of the images, metaphors and neutrality of the news stories used to represent the EU to citizens across the Asian region. Opinion surveys were then conducted to determine the attitudes and perceptions held both by the general public and by each country's elite.

This research has provided a unique insight into how the EU is perceived in Asia, hinting at serious ramifications for Europe 's influence in the region. Any public misperception or ill-informed media representation concerning the EU's global role is potentially detrimental, particularly if it results in an overly simplified Asian view of the EU's capabilities (it is more than "just" an economic player, for example).

This lecture dealt with the media's coverage of the EU as well as examine both public and elite opinion towards the EU across five Asian countries. The questions that are raised include: is there a communication gap between the EU and Asia ? If so, what is the nature of this gap and how might this be addressed if left unaddressed, what are the potential implications for the EU and for the EU-Asian dialogue? What policy recommendations for both the media and for the EU can be suggested? And, what might be the wider implications of a concerted EU public diplomacy strategy to raise EU "visibility" abroad?

This lecture tour was organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation in co-operation with Sciences-Po, the University of Central Lancashire, the University of Ulster, the University of Bristol, the University of Navarra and the European Policy Centre.

Click on the links below to retrieve other relevant documents:

PowerPoint Presentation

Final Paper

The Young Academics Workshop Series

ESiA's Young Academics' Workshop is a new series initiated specifically to provide a platform for next generation European studies academics in Asia and Europe to exchange ideas, acquire new skills and present their work to the larger European studies community.

ESIA YOUNG ACADEMICS WORKSHOP!

How is the EU Perceived in Asia? Media, Public and Elite Perceptions, 1-5 September 2008.

Dr. Natalia Chaban, NCRE, addresses the participants during the workshop

Bruges, Belgium

1-5 September 2008

 The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) and the College of Europe brought together 20 young academics from across Asia and Europe  for the European Studies in Asia (ESiA) 1 st Young Academics' Workshop "How is the EU Perceived in Asia: Media, Public and Elite Perceptions", which took place in Bruges, Belgium, from

The five-day event trained a select number of young European studies academics (at the Masters and Doctoral levels) on how they may be able to analyse and utilise the unique dataset that has been generated from "EU through the Eyes of Asia" project in their own research work.

The inaugral workshop brought together 20 (10 Asian and 10 European) young academics from the two regions. The participants cames from a very broad academic background, which added great value to the multi-disciplinary nature of the workshop. Each workshop participant will produce an 8000 word paper, the best of which will be published in a special edition of the Asia-Europe Journal. The candidate who presents the best paper, as selected by the ESiA selection panel, wil be rewarded with a three month fellowship to the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), University of Canterbury.

"This was a great and memorable learning experience for me because of the truly hands-on nature of the workshop and the research skills we acquired. Not only did we learn from the trainers, Martin and Natalia, we also learned a lot from one another and have made contacts that will help us later in our academic careers. I especially enjoyed the various innovative activities Martin and Natalia had us do from day one!"

Bruce Avasdanond (Thailand)
PhD Candidate
School of Public Administration, National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)

"The sessions we had in Brugge were not only highly informative, but also entertaining! We also got a chance to exchange our ideas and to interact with the group. Hence, I feel I have not only improved my knowledge about EU perceptions in Asia, but I have also learnt how best to conduct intensive seminars while keeping participants constantly interested and eager. Finally, a plus of the programme is that it complemented the actual seminar with talks by officials and journalists with first-hand experience of EU-Asia relations, a visit to the European Parliament/European Commission and some sightseeing in the medieval city of Brugge."

Clara Portela (Spain)

PhD Candidate/Lecturer

European Union Institute/ Singapore Management University

Participants and Co-organisers of the ESiA 1st Young Academic Workshop held at the College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium. September 1-5 2008

Call for Proposals

1st ESiA Young Academics' Workshop

  How is the EU Perceived in Asia? Media, Public and Elite Perceptions

Bruges, Belgium

1-4 September 2008

The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) and the College of Europe welcome proposals for participation in the European Studies in Asia (ESiA) 1 st Young Academics' Workshop "How is the EU Perceived in Asia: Media, Public and Elite Perceptions", which will take place in Bruges, Belgium, on 1-4 September 2008.

Click here for Call of Proposals in PDF format.

Click here for Application Form in Word format.

Background

The European Studies in Asia (ESiA) network initiated the "EU through the Eyes of Asia" project, a pioneering attempt to scientifically measure media, public and elite perceptions regarding the EU specifically in the Asian region.

Focusing on selected Asian countries that are part of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process [1] , the pilot study was undertaken in China , Hong Kong , Japan , Korea , Singapore and Thailand from 2006 to 2007. In all locations, the methodology involved monitoring images of the EU in the media; administering a public opinion survey; and conducting a series of elite interviews.

While the project continues to expand, having recently been launched in Indonesia , the Philippines and Vietnam in the beginning of 2008, the initial phase has already produced a wealth of data regarding the perceptions of the EU in Asia that is unique and can enrich European studies scholarship in both Asia and Europe.

Relevant information about this project can be accessed on the ESiA website at http://esia.asef.org/AboutESiA_Meetings.htm#euthroughtheeyesofasia

Introduction

The ESiA 1 st Young Academics' Workshop "How is the EU Perceived in Asia: Media, Public and Elite Perceptions", will be held in Bruges , Belgium , on 1-4 September 2008.

The four-day event will train a select number of young European studies academics (at the Masters and Doctoral levels) on how they may be able to analyse and utilise the unique dataset that has been generated from "EU through the Eyes of Asia" project in their own research work.

Applicant Eligibility

•  Nationals of countries that are part of the ASEM process.

•  Students or institution-affiliated researchers in European studies or other relevant fields such as Asian studies, political science, international relations, public policy and so on, with preference for those pursuing Masters or Doctoral degrees at the time of the application (31 May-31 July 2008).

•  Outstanding academic achievements.

•  Excellent command of the English language, written and spoken.

•  Prior to submitting the application, interested parties should access information regarding the "EU through the Eyes of Asia" project by logging on to

http://esia.asef.org/AboutESiA_Meetings.htm#euthroughtheeyesofasia

•  Selected participants are expected to fully participate in all workshop activities.

Your Proposal

Interested parties are required to write a 2,000-word proposal in English, in Franklin Gothic Book type 11 font, to answer the following question:

 The "EU through the Eyes of Asia" study has generated a wealth of data regarding perceptions of the EU in the media and among the public and elites in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand. The study is also currently expanding to Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. How do you plan to use the findings of the study in your own planned or existing research work? How would your research work benefit from a training on how to use the dataset generated from this study?

  All proposals need to demonstrate:

•  A strong European studies dimension.

•  Originality of research topic.

•  How to use the findings of the "EU through the Eyes of Asia" study in a meaningful way.

Other Submission Documents

•  A completed application form.

•  Most recent curriculum vitae or resume (maximum two pages long).

•  An official letter from your university in English bearing the official university stamp verifying your status at the time of application (31 May-31 July 2008).

•  A certified true copy of latest academic transcript.

•  Optional: A sample of previous work in English (relevance of topic an added advantage).

Deadline for Submission of Proposals

Interested parties should write in to the co-organisers with their proposal and other  submission documents by 31 July 2008.

Deadline for Applicants Selected to Participate in Workshop

Upon completion of the training workshop in September, applicants selected to participate are expected to complete an 8,000-word paper on their proposed topic by 31 December 2008.

Benefits

•  The workshop participant who writes the best paper will be offered a three-month fellowship at the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) - University of  Canterbury.

•  A selection of the best papers will be published in a special edition of the Asia-Europe Journal.

Additional Support from the Co-organisers

•  Point-to-point economy class airfare to Belgium (or nearest European city).

•  A subsidy to cover visa application fees, if necessary.

•  Airport transfers to and from Bruges .

•  Accommodation during the workshop.

•  Meals throughout the duration of the workshop.

Objectives

•  To widely disseminate findings of the "EU through the Eyes of Asia " study by encouraging the use of the dataset in other relevant research projects.

•  To support and stimulate the work of young European studies academics, by giving them an opportunity to be a part of an innovative and groundbreaking project.  

•  To encourage the forming of networks and information-sharing processes between European studies academics in Asia and Europe within the ESiA framework.

Participants

Up to 20 students or researchers from Asia and Europe.

Enquiries and Submissions

Mr. Ronan Lenihan

Intellectual Exchange Department

Asia-Europe Foundation

31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace

Singapore 119595

Tel +65-6874-9744

Fax +65-6872-1207

E-mail esia@asef.org

Website http://esia.asef.org

Advisory Group Meetings

3rd ESiA Advisory Group Meeting

Manila, the Philippines

6 December 2007

The 3rd ESiA Advisory Group Meeting was held on 6 December 2007 on the sidelines of the ESiA event "Workshop on the Future of European Studies in Asia". which was held in Manila, the Philippines, on 5-7 December 2007. The meeting was a partnership between the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Warsaw.

The meeting welcomed two new Advisory Group members, namely, Ambassador Rosario Manalo, Director of Ateneo de Manila University's European studies programme; and Prof. Alojzy Nowak, President of the University of Warsaw's Research Council, Center for Europe.

2nd ESiA Advisory Group Meeting

Hong Kong, China

13 December 2006

The 2nd ESiA Advisory Group Meeting was held on 13 December 2006 on the sidelines of the ESiA Workshop "The EU through the Eyes of the Asian Media", which was held in Hong Kong, China, on 11-13 December 2006. The meeting was a partnership between the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) and Hong Kong Baptist University. Below are the main conclusions and recommendations:

• ESiA is a sustainable platform for European studies academics, institutions and networks in the Asian region;

• Particularly through the Hong Kong Meeting, ESiA has successfully created a conducive gathering of European studies academics from both Asia and Europe, most of whom have previously never been in contact with each other, thus creating unparalleled networking and collaborative opportunities;

• Together, the ESiA website http://esia.asef.org and electronic newsletter, the eMonitor, have successfully provided a concrete and widely-accessible forum for information exchange between European studies academics, institutions and networks in Asia and Europe. Continuously improving the contents of the ESiA website and eMonitor is crucial to maintain their relevance;

• The ESiA project serves as a good reference of how other high-quality and relevant collaborations between European studies centres in Asia can be implemented concretely within the ESiA initiative. The study should be extended to other Asian countries going forward;

• A major conference at the end of 2007 to present the final report of the ESiA project and a publication thereafter is a natural outcome and worthwhile follow-up; and,

• ESiA's uniqueness is its ability to not only serve the interests of European studies partners from Asia but also to bring on board those from Europe. Thus, ESiA should continue to deepen academic co-operation in the field of European studies, including by supporting the creation of a critical mass of next generation European studies experts, through spearheading new collaborations as well as effectively work with and complement the existing work of other platforms in both Asia and Europe.

1st ESiA Advisory Group Meeting

Singapore

21 October 2005

The inaugural ESiA Advisory Group Meeting held at the premises of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), established European Studies in Asia (ESiA) with the objective of stimulating European studies in the Asian region, not only by strengthening interaction between existing networks in Asia but also by creating synergies between European study centres in both Asia and Europe.

ESiA will be created as an inter-disciplinary and open platform that embraces any institution in Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) countries offering European studies research and networking. The strategic objective of ESiA is not to duplicate the work of existing networks, rather to complement them by pragmatically bringing together some of the most relevant institutions in East Asia focused on Europe, into an unprecedented, sustainable forum for information exchange and the promotion of mutual interests.

The following were decided as initial activities to help form the foundation of ESIA's work in the future:

1. EU through the Eyes of Asia: A Comparative Study of Public, Elite and Media Perceptions of the EU in Korea, Singapore, Japan, Thailand and China

This comparative trans-national study is the pilot test project for future co-operation among European Studies centres in Asia through the ESiA platform. It will be an unprecedented mobilisation of Keio University (Japan), Hong Kong Baptist University (China), Fudan University (China), Korea University, National University of Singapore and Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) - all recognised focal points for European studies academic excellence in Asia - in a collaboration to extensively analyse media content and conduct public surveys and elite interviews in five selected countries in Asia. The results and findings will be shared and broadly distributed in Asia and Europe.

2. ESiA Website

The ESiA website will serve as a platform upon which academics, institutions and networks in the field European studies in Asia and Europe can exchange information and foster relationships. It will contain articles, conference and publication announcements, vacancies and an extensive database of leading European studies institutions and networks in the two regions. Its contents will be highly dependent on inputs from the ESiA Advisory Group and the European studies community.

3. eMonitor -- the electronic newsletter of ESiA

As an eletronic newsletter, the eMonitor is a a low-cost and effective way of proactively providing timely information of interest to academics, institutions and networks in the field of European studies. It will contain the latest highlights of the ESiA website.

© 2009, Asia Europe Foundation