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Unpacking the Complexity of German Policy towards China

A Multi-level Governance Approach

  • 2025
  • Book
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About this book

This book presents a fresh perspective on how bilateral relations are shaped not only by national-level diplomacy but by the interplay of various governance levels-including municipal, regional, national, and supranational actors. Through this approach, the book highlights the nuanced and multi-layered nature of diplomacy in the modern era, moving beyond the traditional state-centric model and bringing attention to the significance of subnational and non-state actors in shaping global relationships. 

This book goes further by exploring how German federal states (Bundesländer) and cities engage directly with their Chinese counterparts, examining the nature of these interactions also within the broader context of European Union integration. These interactions are not limited to economic partnerships but extend into cultural and academic cooperation, showcasing the depth and diversity of German policy towards China. 

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Bella gerant alii, tu, felix Germania, mercaturam fac!
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework
Abstract
This chapter lays the theoretical foundation for the book and prepares the ground for the empirical analysis that follows. It has three main aims: to introduce the key concepts informing the study, to situate the research within relevant academic debates, and to develop an analytical framework that guides the investigation of Germany’s China policy.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 3. Germany’s Policy Towards China at the Federal Level
Abstract
Building on the theoretical framework outlined in Chapter 2, in this chapter I shift the focus to the federal-level mechanisms and actors that shape Germany’s policy toward the People’s Republic of China (PRC). While in the previous part I described the conceptual foundation for understanding multi-level governance in international relations and federal systems, this chapter applies those insights to the specific case of German-Chinese relations.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 4. Role of German Bundesländer in Sino-German relations
Abstract
Foreign policy is no longer the exclusive domain of national governments. Across the globe, subnational entities have become increasingly active in shaping international relations. Germany is no exception. Alongside the federal institutions explored in the previous chapter, the country’s federal states—the Bundesländer—have developed their own channels of engagement with foreign partners. These forms of international outreach by non-central governments fall under the analytical umbrella of “paradiplomacy”.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 5. City-Level Diplomacy in German-Chinese Relations
Abstract
City diplomacy has recently emerged as a key aspect of international relations, with urban centres engaging directly in economic, cultural and political partnerships beyond national borders. In Germany, the federal system and the strong autonomy of municipalities have further enabled cities to take on diplomatic roles, shaping international engagement in ways that complement and sometimes extend beyond national foreign policy.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 6. The European Union and Germany’s Role in EU-China policy
Abstract
This penultimate chapter describes Germany’s role in shaping and aligning with the European Union’s policy towards the People’s Republic of China. For almost five decades, German-Chinese relations were primarily defined by strong bilateral economic ties and a pragmatic, export-oriented foreign policy. Yet, in the last 30 years, this dynamic has expanded within the evolving institutional and strategic framework of the European Union.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Chapter 7. Conclusions
Abstract
This book began with the premise that Germany’s policy towards the People’s Republic of China cannot be understood as a unified national strategy, but rather as the outcome of a fragmented and negotiated process shaped by multiple actors across various levels of governance.
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Backmatter
Title
Unpacking the Complexity of German Policy towards China
Author
Joanna Ciesielska-Klikowska
Copyright Year
2025
Electronic ISBN
978-3-032-05534-7
Print ISBN
978-3-032-05533-0
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-05534-7

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