Liberalism in China?
Liberalism is a philosophy advocating personal freedom from government interference. The concept has two main components, political and economic, typically linked in the forms of capitalism and democracy. The EU-funded project LIBEAC (Liberalism in between Europe and China) is primarily a researcher exchange scheme focused on liberalism in China. LIBEAC asks whether China will transition to liberalism as several other Asian nations have. Specifically, the research addresses the Asian reception of European historical conceptions of liberalism, and the differing economic styles of eastern and western liberalism. The study additionally considers interaction between rule of law and economic development, especially concerning human and environmental rights and China's World Trade Organization (WTO) participation. During the project's first two years, implementation of researcher mobility began slowly. Nevertheless, the project has achieved fruitful collaborations. As per EU recommendations, outcomes are broader than academic circles alone, and connected to public spheres. The project organised a significant number of collective seminars at all partner premises as well as numerous individual lectures. The sessions outlined the project's results to legal and political research communities. Many papers resulting from such presentations have been either published or submitted. LIBEAC provides cross-cultural opportunities for researchers, thus also strengthening collaborative institutional links. The work sheds light on issues of liberalism within China, having trade and other consequences for Europe.
Keywords
Liberalism, China, researcher exchange, trade
