Europe-Eurasia

In 2022, the European economy encountered difficulties and swings, with an upward trend followed by a drop. The energy crisis and soaring inflation were the most significant obstacles. The European economy started up where it left off in 2021 throughout the first half of the year, but the influence of COVID-19 on the European economy lingered, as the gloom of the pandemic had not yet lifted. The war in Ukraine caused a geopolitical catastrophe that precipitated Europe's greatest energy crisis since the 1970s, bringing inflation to all-time highs and retarding economic recovery. The European Commission's Economic Forecast for 2022 projects the EU's real GDP growth rate at roughly 3.3% in 2022, which is significantly lower than earlier estimates. In addition, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis are predicted to have a detrimental impact on the European economy in the fourth quarter of 2022. It is anticipated that the decline in economic activity will continue into the first quarter of 2023. According to the Forecast, the EU and Eurozone are projected to grow at a slower pace in 2023,with real GDP growth of just 0.3% .

China's perspective on Europe differs from Europe's perspective on itself, as do their respective conclusions. In recent years, Europe has continued to view itself as a Zivilmacht (“civilian power) in the world. Nevertheless, the Europe of 2022 is primarily synonymous with crisis in the eyes of Chinese scholars of Europe.

The past year has witnessed the formation of a wall between Western and non-Western states, as evidenced by the intensification of the conflict in Ukraine and the China-US rivalry. In contrast to the camp rivalry between the U. S. and the Soviet Union at the beginning of the Cold War in the 1950s, the current global economic and security landscape lacks the same degree of separation and obstacles. Inside and outside of Europe, economic and political structures and the geostrategic environment are fragmented to some degree. As a result, China-Europe relations remained icy and distant during the first half of 2022, mirroring the unfavorable trend of the second half of 2021. A minor thaw only started to happen in the second half of 2022.

In 2022, the war in Ukraine shook the world, marking "unprecedented upheaval in the world, in the times, and in the course of history”. Europe descended into the gravest geopolitical and security crisis since World War Il, and European nations passed a “historic turning point" in their policy orientation. In a number of European nations, 2022 was a turbulent election year in which the influence of the far right grew. As the European Union's reliance on the United States increased, its strategic autonomy diminished.

PREFACEFor more than a year, Europe has been roiled by the most turbulent changes since the end of the Second World War.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iran on Tuesday to hold talks with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts. Yet th

Exploring this topic has important implications for China’s global agenda. China views the UN as the most important stag