ABSTRACT
At the beginning of the new century, the international situation is undergoing profound changes. These changes reflect not only post-Cold War international political changes, but also the major impact of economic globalization. The adjustment of China-US-EU relations necessarily reflects such profound changes. China is the most populous country in the world and a rising great power, while the United States and the European Union are the two most powerful and developed areas in the world. This relationship therefore has a great significance for international politics and development. From the Chinese perspective, the relationship between China, the United States and the European Union is not an equilateral triangle: the United States and the European Union have more shared common interests than they have differences and they both have profound and enduring differences and conflicts with China. Meanwhile, all three actors have tried to maintain a stable and constructive relationship among themselves, to develop common interests, and to prevent the escalation of conflicts. They are all fully aware of the importance of the trilateral relationship for global governance. Therefore, the China-US-EU relationship is both complicated and flexible, exhibiting “creative tension”.1
