Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Belt and Road Initiative: A New Platform in EU-China Cooperation?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Belt and Road Initiative

  • 1341 Accesses

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the perfect paradigm through which to understand China’s growing role in the international arena, in terms of both trade and international governance. This evolving process requires a constant effort to understand the causes and effects of the actions (and counter-actions) of influential international political players, such as, in addition to the aforementioned China, the European Union and the United States. This chapter therefore focuses on the impact of the BRI on the international order led by the West: Is it a threat or an opportunity? The authors, focusing mainly on the European Union, and trying to understand the ultimate purpose of a project such as the New Silk Road, provide some insights to maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages arising from the BRI, an unprecedented project whose effects, in both the short and long terms, have already had, and will have, an impact on the European institutions and its member states. The indolence or decisiveness put into practice in future policies undertaken at the European level can in fact make the difference between a positive and negative outcome resulting from the forthcoming relations with Beijing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    National Commission for Reforms and Development Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC. 2015. “Visions and Action Plan on the Framework Underpinning OBOR”, Beijing.

  2. 2.

    Xi Jinping’s speech delivered at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, October 18, 2017.

  3. 3.

    China’s outbound direct investment (ODI) exceeded inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first time in 2015. In 2015, Chinese outbound direct investment was 145.67 billion dollars, which was 10.07 billion dollars more than the paid-in foreign investment. Source PRC Ministry of Commerce Website, Regular Press Conference held in August 31, 2017. http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/newsrelease/press/201709/20170902641629.shtml. Accessed June 3, 2019.

  4. 4.

    OLGBRI. 2017. “Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and China’s Contribution”, Foreign Languages Press, Beijing.

  5. 5.

    Ibid.

  6. 6.

    Hence, in line with the concept of the new pragmatism advanced by G. W. Kołodko, a transformation of globalization is desirable. It can be achieved by following a path of higher integration, openness, inclusiveness, to the thrive of more positive effects and to build a better global governance system. Source Kołodko. 2001. “Globalization and Transformation: Illusions and Reality”, TIGER Working Paper Series No. 1. Warsaw, Poland.

  7. 7.

    International Monetary Fund. 2000. “Globalization: Threats or Opportunity”, IMF Publications.

  8. 8.

    This information has been gathered from the European Commission policies, information and services website. http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/. Accessed June 3, 2019.

  9. 9.

    During the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Beijing held on November 9, 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping first used the phrase as “new normal stage of Chinese economy”. Subsequent to this, China’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020) incorporates the “new normal” in economic development in order to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. The most important features of China’s “new normal” are: slower but more sustainable economic growth, market-oriented reforms, services-driven economy and opening up through connectivity.

  10. 10.

    Hanemann. 2018. Rhodium Group and M. Huotari, Mercator Institute for China Studies, “Eu-China Fdi: Working Towards Reciprocity in Investment Relations”, No. 3. May 2018.

  11. 11.

    The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is a European Commission policy directed towards the implementation and development of a Europe-wide network of roads, railway lines, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports, airports and rail-road terminals.

  12. 12.

    According to Theo Notteboom, Co-director at the Center for Eurasian Maritime and Inland Logistics established at the Shanghai Maritime University, the ports of Rotterdam (NL), Antwerp (BE) and Hamburg (DE) were the best-performing commercial ports in 2018. Notteboom. 2019. “PortGraphic: Top 15 Container Ports in Europe in 2018”, PortEconomics. https://www.porteconomics.eu/2019/03/02/portgraphic-top15-container-ports-in-europe-in-2018/. Accessed June 12, 2019.

  13. 13.

    Grieger, Claros. 2018. “China, the 16+1 Format and the EU”, European Parliamentary Research Service.

  14. 14.

    The China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO), a Chinese state-owned shipping and logistics services supplier company, has based a great cargo hub tacking over the management of the Piraeus Port (Greece) in 2016. According to the World Shipping Council (WSC), before the Company came into the Piraeus, the port was listed 93rd in the world ranking of cargo tonnage, and by 2016, it has climbed to the 41st. World Shipping Council. 2019. “Top 50 World Container Ports”. http://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports. Accessed June 12, 2019.

  15. 15.

    According to Johannes Pflug, responsible for China affairs in the Duisburg municipality. Source Yang, Sheng. 2018. “Spotlight: China-Europe Railway Network Sparks New Vitality in Germany’s Biggest Inland Port”, Xinhua News Agency, March 29. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/29/c_137072853.htm.

  16. 16.

    After the United States, China is the second largest non-European German partner (fifth in absolute terms) for exports and the largest for imports. Also for France after the United States, China is the second non-European partner (seventh in absolute terms) for exports and the first non-European for imports. On the other hand, Germany and France are the largest European China’s partners. Source The Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

  17. 17.

    Castells. 2009. “Communication Power”, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

  18. 18.

    In 2008, the EU had a trade deficit with China of €171 billion. There was a deficit throughout the period between 2008 and 2018, reaching €185 billion in 2018. During this time, EU exports to China were highest in 2018 (€210 billion) and lowest in 2008 (€78 billion). EU imports from China were highest in 2018 (€395 billion) and lowest in 2009 (€215 billion). Source Eurostat (online data code: ext_IT_Maineu). 2019. “Imports, Exports and Balance for Trade in Goods Between the EU-28 and China, 2008–2018”. Data from 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20190409-1. Accessed June 24, 2019.

Bibliography

  • Allison, 2017. “Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews-Speed, Dannreuther. 2011. “China, Oil and Global Politics”, Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbieri, Miranda. 2018. “One Belt One Road: Understanding China’s Activism in Contemporary World. Does the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in China Set Off a Tornado in Europe (UK Included)?”, The Cardozo Electronic Law Bulletin Essay.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartley, Clarke, Latimer, Kerswell, Mclinden. 2018. “Trade Facilitation Challenges and Reform Priorities for Maximizing the Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative” (English). MTI Discussion Paper; No. 4. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bluhm, Dreher, Fuchs, Parks, Strange, Tierney. 2018. Connective Financing: Chinese Infrastructure Projects and the Diffusion of Economic Activity in Developing Countries. AidData Working Paper #64. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William & Mary.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castells. 2009. “Communication Power”, Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen. 2017. “Three Domestic Challenges of China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative”, Global Risk Insights (GRI).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Lin. 2018. “Foreign Investment Across the Belt and Road Patterns, Determinants and Effects”, Policy Research Working Paper 8607. World Bank Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cushman, Wakefield. 2018. “Chinese Capital Flows”.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Soyres, Raphael. 2018. “The Growth and Welfare Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on East Asia Pacific Countries” (English). MTI Practice Note; No. 4. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Soyres, Raphael, Mulabdic, Alen, Murray, Siobhan, Rocha Gaffurri, Nadia, Ruta. 2018. “How Much Will the Belt and Road Initiative Reduce Trade Costs?” (English). Policy Research Working Paper; No. WPS 8614. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erede, 2017. “OBOR: soft law come alternativa cinese ai trattati internazionali”, ISPI “OBOR WATCH – Geo-economia delle Nuove Vie della Seta”.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurostat (online data code: ext_IT_Maineu). 2019. “Imports, Exports and Balance for Trade in Goods Between the EU-28 and China, 2008–2018”. Data from 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20190409-1.

  • Gleave, 2018. “Research for TRAN Committee: The New Silk Route—Opportunities and Challenges for EU Transport”, European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grieger, Claros. 2018. “China, the 16+1 Format and the EU”, European Parliamentary Research Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanemann, Rhodium Group, Huotari. 2018. “Eu-China Fdi: Working Towards Reciprocity in Investment Relations”, Mercator Institute for China Studies, No. 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu. 2018. “The Belt and Road Initiative and the Transformation of Globalization”, Kwartalnik Nauk O Przedsiębiorstwie, 1, pp. 30–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Monetary Fund (2000). “Globalization: Threats or Opportunity”, IMF Publications, 12 April 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobowski, Poplawski, Kaczmarski. 2018. “The Silk Railroad. The EU-China Rail Connections: Background, Actors, Interests”, OSW Centre for Eastern Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia, Wong. 2017. “Belt & Road: Opportunity & Risk the Prospects and Perils of Building China’s New Silk Road”, Baker McKenzie & Silk Road Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kołodko. 2001 “Globalization and Transformation: Illusions and Reality”, TIGER Working Paper Series No. 1. Warsaw, Poland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kołodko. 2014. “The New Pragmatism, or Economics and Policy for the Future”, Acta Oeconomica, 64(2), pp. 139–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lequn, Jian. 2017. “Contemporary China’s Politics”, China Intercontinental Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Shi, Laurenceson. 2018. “China & World Economy”, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Wiley, Vol. 26, No. 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Commission for Reforms and Development Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC. 2015. “Visions and Action Plan on the Framework Underpinning OBOR”, Beijing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Notteboom. 2019. “PortGraphic: Top 15 Container Ports in Europe in 2018”, PortEconomics. https://www.porteconomics.eu/2019/03/02/portgraphic-top15-container-ports-in-europe-in-2018/.

  • OLGBRI. 2017. “Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and China’s Contribution”, Foreign Languages Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richet, Ruet, Wang. 2017. “New Belts and Roads: Redrawing EU-China Relations”, In “China’s Belt and Road: A Game Changer?”, Edizioni Epoké—ISPI, pp. 97–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rühlig, Jerdén, Van der Putten, Seaman, Otero-Iglesias, Ekman. 2018. “Political Values in Europe-China Relations”, A Report by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheng. 2018. “Risks of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative”, Centre for Banking & Finance Law, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, Report Number CBFL-Rep-1802.

    Google Scholar 

  • SWIFT. 2018. “RMB Internationalisation: Where We Are and What We Can Expect in 2018”, RMB Tracker.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tunningley, Eva, Trickett, Lin. 2018. “China’s Belt & Road Initiative: Risk Insights, Trade Route Limits Energy (In)security Regional Tensions”, Global Risk Insights (GRI).

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Putten, Seaman, Huotari, Ekman, Otero-Iglesias. 2016. “Europe and China’s New Silk Roads”, Report by the European Think-Tank Network on China (ETNC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Leijen. 2018. “Duisburg-China Traffic Quadrupled Since Regular Silk Road Train”, RailFreight.com, Online Magazine for Rail Freight Professionals.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verlare, Van der Putten. 2015. “‘One Belt, One Road’ an Opportunity for the EU’s Security Strategy”, Clingendael Policy Brief.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. 2018. “Global Economic Prospects, June 2018: The Turning of the Tide?”, Washington, DC: World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Shipping Council (WSC). 2019. “Top 50 World Container Ports”. http://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports.

  • Yang, Sheng. 2018. “Spotlight: China-Europe Railway Network Sparks New Vitality in Germany’s Biggest Inland Port”, Xinhua News Agency, March 29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang. 2017. “Contemporary China’s Diplomacy”, China Intercontinental Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carmen Amado Mendes

  2. Mediterranean Institute for International Studies, Palermo, Italy

    Lorenzo Gagliano

Authors
  1. Carmen Amado Mendes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lorenzo Gagliano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmen Amado Mendes .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. City University of Macau, Macau SAR, China

    Francisco José B. S. Leandro

  2. Research Centre in Political Science, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Paulo Afonso B. Duarte

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mendes, C.A., Gagliano, L. (2020). The Belt and Road Initiative: A New Platform in EU-China Cooperation?. In: Leandro, F., Duarte, P. (eds) The Belt and Road Initiative. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2564-3_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation