The process of globalization triggered not only a global economy but created common concerns and strengthened cooperation on many different levels. During the last decade multifaceted collaborations advanced between European and Chinese Civil Society Organizations. Cooperation exists in the fields of legal advice, capacity building, academic exchange and exchange of expertise.
Also, in the two main fields of third sector activities – environmental protection and social security – exchanges started to develop. While European Civil Society Organizations began to organize exchange and cooperation along topical themes only since the beginning of the 1990s, in China the search for international cooperation and linking-up globally was a basic feature of the third sector development from the very beginning.
Transnational perspectives expand among both Chinese and European Civil Society Organizations could provide new perspectives, new alliances and new cooperation on common global concerns of the Civil Societies.
The conference should enable Chinese and European Civil Society Organizations to become aware of each other, to identify common goals and objectives, to provide space for exchange of experiences, learning from each other and strengthening contacts.