to introduce greater flexibility in the world of work at the risk of increasing poverty

In the late 19th century, Asia was, in the eyes of Europeans, a source of artistic inspiration, or the home of imperial ambitions. For Asians, Europe was regarded as a model of modernity in the era Meiji to the Japan, or as a developer of decadence in China, for example. A century later, the Japanese economic miracle altered the image that Europe at least part of this continent, seen as the place of a technological and industrial progress fast. While we enter the 21st century, the perception that Europe to Asia and vice versa is changing dramatically, as Asian countries continue their unbridled economic growth and that the European Union faces a crisis of identity and trust.

Eminent personalities of Asia, such as Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore, today want to deter Europe to persevere in a behaviour which would quickly lose its reason for being, Europe is more that of luxury and tourism resort. A prominent Chinese business man, who spends his time between Hong Kong and London, has been even more specific in stating, at a meeting between business leaders and politicians, in Paris, a few weeks ago: "You, Europe, you you turn slowly in third world countries." Not only you ask the wrong questions European Constitution, welfare State, retreats but you are systematically bring wrong answers.

Conversely, the point of view of Europe on Asia in General and China in particular is more complex. It oscillates between a lucid adaptation to a new respected competitor and a form of purely ideological rejection. Students who were the streets, in May 1968, to reinvent the world dreamed at least some, Maoist China, a China yet diving in a "cultural revolution" could not be more brutal and cruel. At the time, this absurd and baroque trend was also actually linked to a lack of knowledge of the crimes committed on behalf of the cultural revolution was the result of an absolute boredom, secreted by a prosperous society and knows almost no unemployment. Today, on the other hand, the distant heirs of may 68 students criticize openly the Asian capitalist model. For students who were recently in the streets of Paris, Asia represents a counter-model: "We do not want become Chinese or Indians", they claimed. "We reject the logic of globalization." We have reached a higher level of social protection, why should we regress "So quite paradoxical, these students condemned, in the same time, the French State to what it represents, which is the authority, but also for what he intends to do, i.e. to introduce greater flexibility in the world of work, at the risk of increasing poverty. If yesterday, China was an anti-capitalist revolutionary utopian dream, today, it has become an instrument of vengeance Louche in the eyes of a new generation of reactionary utopians, who defend the status quo in Europe this time.

The economic elites of Europe have, for their part, a very different point of view of China and the India. They have now understood that they had to waive the vaguely post-colonial image they had of countries representing both opportunities for their production and a reservoir of cheap labor for their industry. China and the India have become competitors of Europe and they inspire respect, if not outright fear. In the automotive sector, for example, these two countries are "" European standards for quality, cost and time to market. It is in the pure sciences, such as pharmacy, or in areas requiring specific expertise, such as the industry of luxury, that Europe retains the advantage. The India, for its part, is home to world-class companies, who are now able to recruit graduates of MIT and Harvard, at a cost much lower labour and in a context of progressive lowering of trade barriers.

European leaders have not been able to use the Asian challenge as a "call to arms" economic and social, nor as a lesson in realism in the irresistible movement of globalization. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that it took time for European politicians in a few rare exceptions, as Tony Blair in Britain into their vision of the world situation the revolutionary changes taking place in Asia, especially China and India. Trapped between lack of long term strategic vision and their obsession with the mercantile calculation in the short term, European political leaders, for the most part, did not earn the respect of Asian leaders, unlike European companies, which have a much more positive image. This judgment probably reflects an adequate vision of the Europe of today as being a region where economic leaders are doing overall far better than political leaders.

Except in the world of trade, the European Union is only rarely seen as a real player in the world stage by Asians, but it is often perceived as a model for reconciliation, peace and prosperity on a continent that, for the most part, did not bury its past or close the door to the spectrum of nationalism. But if the performance of Europe were to continue to deteriorate, Asians are see still a model The Continent would become, in the best of cases, a "Conservatory of democracy", if it is, quite simply, a kind of modern Venice, i.e. a place to visit with nostalgia for the glorious past and having some similarities with a museum.