Boston University’s Institute for Human Sciences hosted a panel discussion for approximately 100 people addressing the relationship between the United States, the European Union and China, referred to as the “E.U.-U.S.-China Triangle,” Tuesday night at the School of Management’s Executive Leadership Center.

European Commission in the United States Delegation Deputy Head Angelos Pangratis began with “key facts” relating to the issue of E.U.-U.S.-China relations. He noted that despite media excitement about China’s rise in trade domination with the United States, trade between the United States and the EU is still roughly double that of the United States and China.

Pangratis then turned his focus to the developing E.U.-China relations and “the challenges of the future.” He emphasized his concern about unbalanced market access to China, saying there were “unfair aspects.” Noting that U.S.-E.U. actions concerning China’s market status would ultimately influence each other, Pangratis highlighted the tensions within the triangle relationship.

Pangratis also noted the problem with China’s economy becoming freer, but the political system not following the same path. China faces the constant threat of economic instability, the effects of which can already be seen in growing inequalities, regional disparities, environmental concerns and the lack of transparency within Chinese government, Pangratis said.

Hawks and Pangratis stressed the importance of maintaining the “One-China” policy, by which the United States agrees to remain ambiguous on the central issue of sovereignty and not to support a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan.

“Europe and the U.S. have a mutual interest at preserving stability in China,” Hawks said. “The basic premise is to enforce a stalemate until the political situation is more conducive to resolution.”

Harvard University’s Environment China Project research fellow Yuan-Yuan Shen addressed trade frictions and the key question of whether China’s increased imports to the United States negatively effect unskilled American workers. Shen added that on the other end, her students in China view American protectionist measures as hostile to China’s economic growth. Shen said she tells her students, “You have to live with that, it’s normal.”

“Americans worry that the rise of China might bring about the fall of America,” Hawks said.

In order to combat this “alarmist attitude,” more Americans need to take an interest in Chinese history and culture to acquire important prerequisites, she said.

IHS Director Irena Gross said the turnout was “very impressive.” Pangratis said he was “delighted by the numbers” and very pleased that so many people decided to come and “remain interested for an impressively long time.”

Event organizers brought three speakers to contribute to the panel. Pangratis spoke for the majority of the panel, while Shen provided an additional perspective on the issue. Social sciences professor Shelley Hawks also spoke and moderated the discussion.

College of Arts and Sciences freshman Ian Ding said he had read Shen’s works, which gave the political science major an incentive to come to the lecture.

CAS sophomore Huiging Wu said she felt the lecture “covered a lot of opinions and facts that are already out there.”

CAS senior Jessie Calkins, who takes Chinese language classes and went to China last year, said she was impressed by the amount of detail in the lecture. She said although not everyone pays attention to the issues in the lecture, for the people she knows from China and Taiwan, “it matters a lot.”