“For scholars, students, and the general public interested in EU–China relations, this book is essential reading, as EU–China relations are becoming increasingly important in global politics.” — Richard McMahon, University College London

“This book offers a unique perspective on EU–China relations, deepening our understanding of the subject and opening up new avenues for academic research.” — Nicola Casarini, Istituto Affari Internazionali

★Several China experts, sinologists, diplomats, and researchers serve as co-editors; they have previously held positions such as Hungary’s Cultural Attaché to China, spearheaded Sino-German research security issues, and provided advisory services on China’s behavior at the United Nations to the foreign ministries of multiple EU member states.
★Leading scholars from across China and Europe have collaborated across disciplines, treating “narrative” as a key variable in China–EU relations. They systematically deconstruct the dominant discourses within four domains—diplomacy, economics, media, and history—offering a replicable textual-analysis framework for understanding the cognitive gaps between the two sides when facing crises.
★The 2026 edition has been released.

This collection of essays examines the crucial yet often overlooked role that narratives play in the rapidly evolving Sino-European relationship.
The authors analyze the function of narratives across diverse societies and domains, including economics, foreign policy, history, and social media. The book underscores the social dimension of narratives, challenging the traditional state-centric, strategy-driven approach in international politics. Furthermore, it explores the pervasive “othering” narratives that characterize today’s various crises and highlights the need to enhance awareness of narratives and their implications in the policymaking process.

Agota Reves (Editor)
Agota Reves is a sinologist with many years of experience in both academia and diplomacy. She is proficient in English, German, Chinese, and Hungarian. Her current research focuses on the dialogue narratives between the European Union and China, while also addressing issues related to Sino-German scientific research security and efforts to enhance Chinese literacy among non-sinologists. Her work centers on China’s rise as a global cultural power and its soft-power diplomatic strategies. Her research projects examine how China, after a century of upheaval, has sought to strengthen its international influence through the revival of cultural fields such as traditional opera, analyzing the interplay of cultural heritage, politics, and diplomacy in this process.

Her teaching emphasizes EU–China relations and intercultural competence, with a particular focus on Chinese affairs. She currently works at the Helmholtz Centre in Potsdam. She aims to serve as a bridge between two cultures and hopes that some of her research findings will provide relevant context for ongoing and future EU–China cultural exchanges.
- Master’s degrees in English, Sinology, and Comparative Literature (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)
- Independent degree in Theatre Directing (Academy of Drama and Film, Budapest)
- Doctoral dissertation: A comparative analysis of actor preparation processes in European and Chinese traditional theatre (Academy of Drama and Film, Budapest)
- Has worked as a freelance stage director, translator, and project manager (primarily on Hungary–China or EU–China projects).
- Has taught courses related to China or theatre at various universities.
- From 2010 to 2015, she served as a Hungarian diplomat in China, working for over four years as a cultural attaché in Shanghai and one year as a tourism officer in Beijing.
- From 2015 to 2018, she conducted research on Chinese cultural diplomacy at the Free University of Berlin.
- Since 2018: Academic staff member at the Center for Science and Culture Studies of China at the Technical University of Berlin, participating in the TUWITECH project.

Magnus Fehdman (Editor)
Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Bristol. His research spans comparative politics, international politics, and political economy, with a particular emphasis on business and politics, comparative capitalism, labor politics, and institutional analysis. He has long held a strong interest in the communist politics of Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and China. His research has been published in journals such as World Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Politics & Society, New Political Economy, as well as in various edited volumes.

Together with Glenn Morgan, he co-edited Business and Populism: An Unlikely Pair, published by Oxford University Press in 2023. This book and related research projects explore the political roles played by businesses and business associations in shaping and responding to populist challenges. His forthcoming book, Comparative Capitalism: A Global Perspective (Bloomsbury, 2025), provides an overview of the institutional foundations and diversity of capitalism.

He holds a BA from Uppsala University, a BA from the University of Oxford, an MSc from the London School of Economics, an MA, and a PhD from Harvard University.

Duncan Freeman (Editor)
Dr. Duncan Freeman is a lecturer at ICHEC Brussels Management School.
Since October 2016, he has served as a research fellow at the EU–China Research Centre of ICHEC Brussels Management School. Dr. Freeman has also taught and conducted research on China’s economic and policy developments, as well as EU–China relations, at the Diplomatic Academy of Brussels and the Institute for Chinese and European Studies in Brussels (both affiliated with the Université Libre de Bruxelles).

He holds a BA in Politics and Modern History from the University of Manchester, an MSc in Chinese Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, a postgraduate diploma in Principles of Economics from the University of London, and a PhD from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Dr. Freeman has lived and worked in Beijing and Hong Kong for a total of 17 years and is fluent in Chinese. During his time in Hong Kong, he served as editor and publisher of several authoritative publications on Chinese commercial law and tax systems.

Steven Langendenk (Editor)
Steven Langendenk is a postdoctoral researcher at Hamburg’s Helmut Schmidt University and KU Leuven.
He is currently building a database on Chinese foreign policy since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. He has advised the foreign ministries of several EU member states and the European External Action Service on China’s role in the United Nations, and presented his research findings at the 2024 ISA China Workshop held at the UN in San Francisco.

Steven Langendenk studied history at KU Leuven from 2014 to 2017, followed by a master’s degree in Comparative and International Politics there from 2017 to 2018. Subsequently, he pursued a PhD in Social Sciences at KU Leuven (2019–2024), focusing on “Decoding China’s Diplomatic Behavior in International Organizations: The Intersection of Domestic Logics and Multilateral Order.”

Since 2025: Postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of International Political Economy, Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg.
2019–2025: Ph.D. program in Social Sciences.
2019–2024: Doctoral School of Humanities and Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.

Introduction: Studying Narratives and Sino-European Relations

Part I: Foreign Policy and International Relations
1. Where Do Discourses Lead Us? National (Statecraft) Cognition in Sino-British Relations – Sean Bratches
2. Italy and the “China Question”: Populist Narratives at Recent Critical Moments – Daniela Caterina
3. The “Iron Brothers” Narrative Between China and Serbia: European and Chinese Understandings of Culture’s Role in International Relations – Jelena Gredić
4. Unicorns, Dragons, and Storytellers: A Study of the EU’s “Foreign Narrative Production” – Steven Langendijk

Part II: Public Policy
5. China, Europe, and the Dual Circulation: Emerging Narratives of China’s New Economic Model – Duncan Freeman and Ágota Révész
6. The EU and the Human Rights Narrative on China: Whose Interests Does Politicization Serve? – Christelle Genoud
7. The EU’s Counter-Terrorism Narrative and Prospects for Sino-European Security Cooperation – Zhang Chi, Chen Xuechen, and Yang Jilong (transliterated)

Part III: Media and Communication
8. The Role of Science and Technology in European Narratives About China – Magnus Feldmann and Aleksandra Stelmach
9. From Academic Partner to “Academic Threat”? German and British Media Coverage of Euro-American Academic Cooperation Since President Xi Jinping Took Office – Eva Sevoort
10. Emotions and Narratives About China in Turkish Social Media and Political Speeches: A Comparative Analysis

Part IV: Historical Perspectives
11. Selective Trauma: The Century of National Humiliation and Sino-European Relations – Jasper Rokotus
12. The Weight of History: Crisis Narratives and Cold War Rhetoric – Bart De Saeen
13. Conclusion