ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. On 30 August 2012, world-renowned Chinese artist and fervent regime critic Ai Weiwei tweeted an ironic photo of himself taking the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, out to lunch. In the last two decades, human rights advocates have criticized European governments for prioritizing trade with China over principles and for hushing human rights criticism behind closed doors. Quiet diplomacy essentially entails confidential discussions between politicians and diplomats who talk about matters of concern behind closed doors. China's leaders expect criticism from leaders of democracies; indeed, they have long ago priced it into the cost of relations. The European Union primarily uses a confidential, institutionalized Dialogue to raise human rights concerns. David Forsythe points out that quiet diplomacy on human rights is generally 'hard to track and evaluate, precisely because it may be some years before outsiders know what has transpired'.
