Conclusion

This edited book fills a gap in the literature on EU-Asia relations. The European Union and Asia are two regions undergoing significant changes internally while at the same time developing stronger relations with each other. In the context of an emerging multi-polar world, Europe and Asia are seen as major actors, making their relations increasingly crucial for the understanding of global politics. The Handbook is distinctive because it constitutes a thoroughly comprehensive collection of more than 40 contributions from a variety of disciplines and perspectives, bringing together leading authors in their respective fields. Contributors come from Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, thereby providing a genuinely global perspective on this important topic. The Handbook is structured along several key dimensions in the relationship, ensuring that bilateral relations, multilateral contexts, institutional aspects, the comparative dimension and the global perspective, are all covered – a unique set of contributions. In addition, sections look specifically at political, economic and cultural relations between the two regions.