ABSTRACT
China-Europe relations from 2010 to 2016 had stabilized, after the divisions that cut short the earlier honeymoon phase. Tensions over issues of identity were, however, still a factor. This chapter analyses the cases of Beijing's diplomatic boycotts of the United Kingdom and Norway in the years 2010 to 2016, and the extent to which both the reasons for the boycotts, and the rationale behind the diplomatic solutions to these issues, were shaped by identity dynamics. These two cases demonstrate how a range of political and economic ties were adversely affected by identity-driven policy motivations, as Beijing's leadership increasingly regarded China as a great power, demanding respect for their separate model of government. As Xi Jinping declared a ‘new era’ for the People's Republic, these cases demonstrate how a set of Chinese discursive shifts over this period opened up for a more assertive range of policies. China was, in effect, insecure enough about its ontological security to strike down on perceived affronts, whilst powerful enough to strong-arm these European countries’ China policies.
