This article, written by Our Staff Reporter Zhang Baoxiang, runs in part as follows:

On December 10, last year, the European Union Helsinki Summit Meeting passed a decision on strengthening Europe's defense alliance and establishing a European rapid reaction troop composed of 50,000-60,000 people before 2003. As a result, "major breakthrough" and "substantive progress" were finally achieved after half a century efforts in the building up of Europe's defense, thus ushering in a new period of development.

EU's decision to speed up European defense construction is required by the circumstance and based on its long-term strategic consideration. EU's long-term strategic consideration is: with France and Britain as the motive force, and the five countries of France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain as the core, to begin with the establishment of a rapid reaction troop of Europe, then gradually build up Europe's defense with the ability to independently make decision and take action on its own by the method of gradual progress and finally lift itself from the situation in which it has long depended on and been controlled by the United States on the question of security, and build Europe into one pole in the multipolar world, which possesses a strong political, economic and military power, giving full play to its "role as a big power" in international affairs.

To achieve the above-mentioned strategic goal, EU has decided to adopt the following measures and steps: First, it will build up a rapid reaction troop of Europe which can complete deployment and take independent actions within 60 days. This troop should guarantee that it can be stationed in crisis-plagued regions for one year and fulfill such missions as humanitarian rescue, peace-keeping, the quelling of conflict and mediation; second, it is planned that the West European Alliance will be incorporated into European Union by the end of 2000, and the former will be built into a "military arm" of the latter; third, it is planned that a political security committee, a military committee and an integrated staff will begin to be set up in a planned way early this year, the first two committees will be responsible to discuss and decide on major policies, the staff will be responsible to lead and supervise possible military moves; and fourth, in concrete application, EU can follow the example of the Euro zone, this means that countries adopting an active attitude toward the building of Europe's defense and having military capabilities and means can join first, and other countries may join later in accordance with their wishes and conditions.

There are several factors spurring EU to decide to speed up European defense: the primary factor is that the Cosovo war reveals Europe's "impotence". Cosovo is located in front of the door of EU, the conflict should have been resolved by the EU itself. But due to the fact that EU countries each went their own ways, it was hard to coordinate their actions, finally they relied on the forces of the United States to conclude the war. French President Jacques Chirac therefore emphatically pointed out Cosovo war fully proves that the building of European defense is not only necessary, but also brooks no delay.

The United States asked Europe to undertake still greater responsibility, which provides a good opportunity for the building of European defense. The Clinton administration has, in recent years, emphasized and required that Europe undertake still greater responsibility for its own defense. Taking advantage of the opportunity to "undertake still greater responsibility", EU seeks to establish Europe's independent defense, so as to rid itself of dependence on the United States and to establish "real equal partnership" with the United States.

The active promotion done through joint efforts by France and Britain is an important reason that spurs EU to decide to accelerate defense building and to establish a rapid reaction troop. France has played the "bellwether" role in boosting Europe's defense building. At the same time, it should also be noted that the policy of "drawing close to EU" pursued by the government of the British Labor Party is also a promotional factor.

The concerted efforts by Britain and France is, without doubt, a tremendous impetus to Europe's defense building.

In addition, EU member countries have expressed the view that Russia's economic situation is bad, its society is turbulent and unstable and where it will go in the future is still unclear. This constitutes a potential threat to Europe. EU deems it necessary to quickly establish Europe's common defense, so as to strengthen guard against Russia.

Although the goal of establishing European defense has been set, its implementation is by no means easy, because it requires overcoming and solving many difficulties and problems. First is the resistance put up by the United States. The US demand that "Europe undertake still greater responsibility" only means that Europe undertakes the responsibility for more defense expenses, not requiring that Europe build up its independent defense. Second is the question concerning the transfer of sovereignty. It is common knowledge that defense is the greatest sovereignty of a country. It is extremely difficult to ask the EU countries to hand over their defense sovereignty to an integrated institution. Third is the contention for leadership among the three countries of France, Germany and Britain. After its reunification, Germany's position in EU has been rising continually. France and Britain have their respective intentions in their concerted efforts to promote Europe's defense building. France wants to join efforts with Britain to contain Germany, while doing so, Britain wants to seek leadership over EU. From this it is not hard to see that the three countries will carry out fierce contention around the question concerning leadership over Europe's defense building, this is bound to thwart the rapid development of Europe's defense building.

Although European defense building is faced with the above-mentioned difficulties and problems, many leaders of the EU countries recently have made up their minds to establish European defense, and the EU Helsinki Summit formally made related decisions.

EU's decision to accelerate Europe's defense building is of great significance and of far-reaching influence. It not only will promote Europe's political alliance, bring about the comprehensive and in-depth development of European integration, but also will increase EU's strength and enhance its position, helping to break the situation of US monopoly over the world and boost the world's multi-polarization process. In addition, it will affect European-US relationship. Once Europe completes its independent defense, the balance within NATO will be broken, Eropean-US relationship will also be readjusted.