How to meet a challenge called EU

Relations between China and the European Union (EU) have gone through some ups and downs in recent years. The first signs of discord emerged in 2006, when the European Commission issued its new policy document, which said China was a growing challenge and competitor rather than a partner that offered many opportunities. That apart, the document said, China should shoulder more global and regional responsibilities because it had benefited the most from globalization.

The EU action was not restricted to its tough stance on trade and global issues. It criticized China's legal system, human rights record and the way it handled the Tibet issue, too, all of which are the country's internal matters that no foreign power has the right to interfere with.

So why have EU-China relations soured and how can they be improved?