ABSTRACT
China proposed a new mode of relations between great powers "oriented to new partnership in the 21st century". China established a "strategic partnership" with Russia in 1996, established a "comprehensive partnership" with France and entrenched the goal of establishing a "constructive strategic partnership" with the United States in 1997, and entrenched the goal of establishing a "comprehensive partnership" with the European Union in 1998. Chinese expected that through the construction of a series of cross-century partnerships, it would strive to build a new relationship framework with mutual benefits. China's diplomacy across the century created favorable conditions for China to seize opportunities and deal with challenges. China and the European Community established diplomatic relations in 1975. Japan was the first western power to resume high-level contacts with China after June 1989, and Sino-Japan relations were also the fastest one to be restored to normal among all bilateral relations between China and other western countries.
