ABSTRACT
Contemporary relations between Asia and Europe deserve special attention, for they appear to have great potential for economic, political and cultural conflict. In economic terms, there is a perception in Asia that the European Union (EU) is tempted to embrace protectionism. In Europe, Asia is perceived not just as a rising competitor but in some senses as an unfair competitor. In political terms, many Europeans consider that the end of the Cold War heralded the triumph of democracy and capitalism and are less willing to tolerate authoritarian regimes. They now insist on the need to respect human rights, to promote democratization and to guarantee the rule of law. In contrast, some Asian countries have emerged as champions of the notion of “Asian” values in opposition to “Western” values. Frequently, these economic and political differences are attributed to inherent cultural differences. Thus, many Asians are tempted to attribute European economic problems to “Western” individualism. Conversely, the subordination of the individual to the collectivity tends to be perceived in Europe as the price to pay for Asian economic success.
