ABSTRACT
This is a conclusion chapter. A fundamental proposition of this book is that in today's international relations, power politics are far from receding, and the Westphalian system is still the dominant international political paradigm. While other forces survive and act according to the logic of power, the EU, in its own interest, must find ways to respond and adapt to the reality of power politics. By reviewing the history of EU trade negotiations with China, this book concludes that the linkage strategy is a major strategy used by the EU in conducting negotiations both internally and externally. Linkage was generally effective vis-à-vis China, but with variations. Moreover, the EU is a linkage power relying on strategic power resources. Finally, this chapter outlines the future trends of EU–China trade relations (2025–2055).
