EU External Relations Law and Sustainability: Exploring the Potential for Engaging China

This Chapter examines the relationship between European Union (EU) external relations law, sustainability, and the role of China in advancing global sustainable development goals. The Chapter analyzes the EU’s approach to engaging China in its external relations and explores the potential for collaboration on sustainability issues. Additionally, it identifies key challenges and opportunities in the EU-China relationship concerning sustainability, offering insights into the legal and policy dimensions. By focusing on the specific dynamics between the EU and China, this chapter contributes to the academic discourse on EU external relations law. The main findings highlight the potential of EU-China collaboration on sustainability while emphasizing the need to strengthen the legal framework, address geopolitical tensions, enhance climate change cooperation, promote regulatory convergence, and balance economic and environmental interests for a more sustainable relationship.