EU offers fair dealing in its 'Belt and Road' response

Subject

The EU's answer to Belt and Road.

Significance

A strategy paper called 'Connecting Europe and Asia' is the most detailed exposition to date of the EU's emerging approach towards China's Belt and Road transport infrastructure initiative. It envisages investment in land, sea and air routes, and improved digital network connections, all founded on fair trade, EU market rules and new partnerships with Asian countries.

Impacts

• The EU strategy may encourage states in Eastern Europe to avoid over-reliance on China.
• In landlocked Central Asia, there is little the EU can offer that outweighs the transport connectivity opportunities offered by China.
• Russia's response will be important: it may find EU initiatives more attractive than expanding Chinese economic influence.