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EU-China summit, 30 November ? ECFR expert available to comment

Press advisory

EU-China summit, 30 November - ECFR expert available to comment

European and Chinese leaders are set to meet in the Chinese city of Nanjing on 30 November for the EU-China summit.

ECFR China expert and senior policy fellow Francois Godement is available for interviews and comment.

The 30 November EU-China summit comes in the shadow of Obama's visit to China on 15-18 November and the emergence of a possible ‘G2' between China and the United States.

The summit could prove to be a test of the EU's ability to work with China on climate change in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference on 7-18 December. China made the first move yesterday (26 November), agreeing to become around 40% more efficient in its use of carbon-based fuels by 2020.

Godement believes that while China is warmer towards the EU now than it was a year ago when it cancelled the December 2008 summit, friction still exists between the EU and China over:

• The EU's arms embargo on China
• China's human rights record
• Tibet, with China criticising EU member states - such as France and Denmark - for meeting with the Dalai Lama

Godement co-authored A Power Audit of EU-China Relations (published by ECFR) a report which showed how China can treat the EU with indifference bordering on contempt on issues ranging from trade to the Dalai Lama.

For press enquiries, Francois Godement can be reached at:

Telephone: +33 6 11 72 75 44

Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

For other press queries please send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or call +44 (0) 207 031 1623.