Political Systems of China, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the European Union

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The first part of the class will follow the lecture format and discussion will be encouraged based on the set literature for each session. In the second part, students present a press review of relevant political issues which marked the previous week in China, the EU or the Lusophone countries, followed by a debate on the topics presented.

Learning Outcomes

Firstly, this course provides an introduction to political systems in China, the European Union (EU) and the Lusophone countries: Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor. At the end of the course, regarding the political dimension, students should be able to understand the main concepts in politics and, based on them, compare the main features of the different political systems and identify their main institutions, including multilateral ones, such as Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP). They should also become acquainted with relevant current issues surrounding China, the EU and the Lusophone countries. Secondly, regarding the legal dimension, students should be able to understand the main issues involved in Chinese company and contract laws as well as the global trading system with relation to contemporary EU-China trade, including cooperation and disagreement regarding intellectual property rights.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.Introduction to the political dimension: Concepts in Political Science.

2. China: The origins and development of China’s political system; Institutions and politics; Foreign and domestic issues.

3.The Lusophone countries: Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor. The origins and development of their political systems: a comparison; Politics and main institutions, including the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP).

4. The European Union (EU): The origins and development of EU’s political system, politics and main institutions.

5. Political and legal relations China-EU-Lusophone countries: cooperation and development, namely within the Chinese New Silk Road initiative.

6.Case-study analysis of bilateral trade between China and the Portuguese Speaking Countries and China and the UE.

7. Intellectual Property Rights in the Global Trading System: EU-Chinese concerns regarding IPR enforcement and IPR infringement.

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Afonso Brardo Duarte

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Active in-class participation and discussion of the texts (20%) + press review (20%) + final exam (60%): 100.0%

Bibliography

HIX, Simon and HØYLAND, Bjørn (2011), The political system of the European Union. Basingstoke; New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

HEILMANN, Sebastian (2017), China’s political system. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. 

NETO, Octavio and LOBO, Marina (2014), “Semi-presidentialism in Lusophone countries: diffusion and operation”, Democratization, 21(3), 434-457.

CHEUNG, Gordon, C.K. Intellectual Property Rights in China. London: Routledge, 2009 (specifically, Chapter 5: Protecting IPR: the Chinese way, pp. 63-82; and Chapter 6: Case study: dynamics and changes of trademark development in China, pp. 83-95).

WEI, Shi. Intellectual Property in the Global Trading System: EU-China Perspective. Berlin: Springer, 2008 (specifically, Chapter 1: Introduction, pp. 1-22; and Chapter 5: EU-China Interaction in Normative Integration, pp. 157-210).

ZHANG, Xin. International Trade Regulation in China. Oxford & Portland: Hart Publishing, 2006 (specifically, Chapter 2: Foreign Trading Rights, pp. 23-54; Chapter 12: Trade and Competition, pp. 270-276; and Chapter 13: Trade and Intellectual Property Rights, pp. 277-289).