Belt and Road Initiative - Challenge or Opportunity
Author
Fuz, Justyna Maria
Term
4. term
Publication year
2019
Abstract
Under Xi Jinping, China has expanded its engagement in Central and Eastern Europe through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 16+1 format, intensifying trade and investment across the region. At the same time, the EU has voiced growing concerns about limited transparency, potential political influence, and risks to EU cohesion. This thesis asks: Why is the EU concerned about the impact of the BRI on CEE countries? Using a deductive design, it applies international relations theory—realism (including offensive realism) and Joseph Nye’s soft power—to assess how economic ties may translate into political leverage and how attractive China’s development model appears. A case study of Poland grounds the analysis of interactions between China, CEE, and the EU. The goal is to evaluate whether the BRI represents a challenge to EU unity or also offers opportunities. The provided excerpt does not include final findings; the study aims to clarify the sources of EU concerns and their reasonableness.
Under Xi Jinping har Kina udvidet sit engagement i Central- og Østeuropa gennem Bælte-og-Vej-initiativet (BRI) og 16+1-formatet, hvilket har intensiveret handel og investeringer i regionen. Samtidig udtrykker EU voksende bekymring over manglende gennemsigtighed, potentiel politisk indflydelse og en mulig undergravning af EU’s sammenhold. Specialet stiller forskningsspørgsmålet: Hvorfor er EU bekymret for BRI’s indvirkning på CØE-landene? Med et deduktivt design anvendes international politisk teori—realisme (inklusive offensiv realisme) og Joseph Nyes soft power—til at analysere, hvordan økonomiske relationer kan omsættes til politisk magt, og hvordan Kinas model kan fremstå attraktiv. En casestudie af Polen bruges til at konkretisere dynamikkerne mellem Kina, CØE og EU. Formålet er at vurdere, om BRI udgør en udfordring for EU’s enhed eller også rummer muligheder. Den tilgængelige uddragsdel indeholder ikke de endelige konklusioner; studiet søger dog at klarlægge kilderne til EU’s bekymringer og deres rimelighed.
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