The Changing Transatlantic Relations And The Paradox Of European Union's Autonomy

Due to the political,economic,and social crises of the European Union(EU),the growing dissatisfaction and accusations from the U.S.administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump,and the U.S.rebalancing strategy of the “Pivot to Asia”,many research works from within China and abroad have restarted discussions on the classic proposition of “Europe Tends to Be Independent and Autonomous in Transatlantic Relations”,aiming to redefine the dynamic status and future of transatlantic relations.Ever since the European Union released its global strategy in 2016 and claimed its intention to attend the global geopolitical landscape according to its proposal in 2019,the EU has clarified its strategic transition from a more equitable transatlantic alliance relationship towards a geopolitical revolution for global governance as well as an international realist political power struggle.This implies the following two propositions: first,"Is Europe becoming independent from its transatlantic relations?" and second,"Can European autonomy be realized?"The evolution of the US-European alliance relationship has been studied over significant historical periods.After World War II,Western Europe had a close relationship with the United States due to the Marshall Plan.In the post-Cold War era,the bilateral institutionalization was further strengthened.During the Iraq War after 9/11,however,the conflicts between American unilateral hegemonism and European multilateral institutionalism was exposed.In addition to the comprehensive structural strategic shift of the United States during the Obama and Trump administrations and the contraction of US global hegemony,the transatlantic relations have ushered in a historic turning point.Europe is becoming a more independent ally of the United States so that the equality of transatlantic relations can be promoted and the power of the alliance is strengthened where the two could cooperatively contain China's global expansion.The impact of this process on transatlantic relations will be irreversible and the US-European alliance will no longer be able to return to the time when the EU closely depended on the US.From the perspective of European solidarity and the effectiveness of the EU mechanism,the substantive findings of the proposition of "Can European autonomy be realized?" are studied.There is a strained gap between the EU institution,the EU leadership,and the landscape of European autonomy.By referring to world view of James N.Rosenau's "Fragmegration Theory",the EU member states have major conflicts in the areas of internal political and economic crises,peripheral security issues,and global strategy.Each area of conflict generates internal confrontations between creditor countries and debtor countries,between security providers and consumers,and between EU collective diplomacy advocates and national diplomatic interests defenders.In general,they present a collective picture of "fragmentation" over "integration",which extremely weakens the EU's collective power generated by joint decision-making.In terms of institutional efficiency and power structure,the authority of the EU institution represented by the European Commission has been damaged due to repeated management failures in a variety of crises.The unaddressed strength vacancies left by the UK after Brexit have laid great pressure on the joint French-German leadership regarding security and autonomy.Moreover,the debate over "German hegemony" and Germany's real interest in European governance are also decisive to the stability of the EU's power structure and EU unity.As a result of the current political atmosphere,the expansion of European autonomy in the post-transatlantic-relationship era requires the EU to break through difficulties stemming from the structure and the institution.The EU may become more unified and powerful,or it may consequently collapse over dilemmas.Overall,in its current state,the constructive process of reorganization and revolution will consume the EU's collective power from the inside and make it less possible to promote the presumed vision of a stronger transatlantic alliance to contain China's global expansion.Looking ahead at the China-U.S.-Europe trilateral relationship,the disequilibrium in China-U.S.-European trilateral power structure will increase.Though the United States and Europe remain each other's strongest allies,Europe will struggle to balance between the U.S.and China in order to achieve strategic flexibility.In addition,the divergences over the objectives and interests of EU and US's policy on China have not changed.China and the EU have broad space for cooperation in the areas of globalization and global security governance that are regarded as core interests of both parties.These mutual interests will be an important cornerstone for both parties to establish future strategic mutual trust.