China’s New Silk Road and its implications for European integration
Author
Nierga Llandrich, Oriol
Term
4. term
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-07-31
Pages
77
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvad Kinas Nye Silkevej—kendt som One Belt, One Road (OBOR)—kan betyde for den europæiske integration. Initiativet blev lanceret i 2013 af præsident Xi Jinping og har til formål at styrke Kinas globale rolle og håndtere interne og eksterne udfordringer ved at udvide handlen og opbygge et stort net af infrastruktur som havne, lufthavne, jernbaner og rørledninger, der forbinder Kina med Europa samt dele af Eurasien og Afrika. På grund af sin skala vil initiativet få politiske, økonomiske og sikkerhedsmæssige konsekvenser for deltagende lande og også for lande uden for projektet. Ifølge kinesiske myndigheder og nogle eksperter kan OBOR gavne Europa ved at øge handel og investeringer, give adgang til nye markeder og forbedre forbindelserne gennem nye og moderniserede infrastrukturer. Kritikere advarer dog om, at initiativet også kan styrke Beijings indflydelse i Europa og skabe splittelse i EU ved at fremme konkurrence mellem medlemsstaterne. Specialet argumenterer for, at Europa kan drage fordel af OBOR, hvis EU reagerer samlet. EU og medlemsstaterne bør nå frem til en klar, fælles position og udnytte deres forhandlingskraft for at opnå bedre vilkår ved forhandlinger med Kina. For at vurdere, hvordan OBOR kan påvirke den europæiske integration, og om en fælles europæisk respons er mulig, anvender studiet liberal intergovernmentalisme—en teori udviklet af Andrew Moravcsik i 1990’erne til at forklare, hvordan regional integration skrider frem. Tilgangen fokuserer på, hvordan nationale interesser og indenrigspolitiske forhold i de enkelte medlemsstater former deres holdning til EU. Med dette blik undersøger specialet, om EU kan overvinde interne forskelle og fremlægge en fælles strategi over for OBOR.
This thesis examines what China’s New Silk Road—known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR)—could mean for European integration. Launched in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, OBOR seeks to strengthen China’s global role and to address domestic and external challenges by expanding trade and building a large network of infrastructure such as ports, airports, railways and pipelines to connect China with Europe and parts of Eurasia and Africa. Because of its scale, the initiative has political, economic and security consequences for participating countries and even beyond. Chinese authorities and some experts argue that OBOR could benefit Europe by increasing trade and investment, opening new markets and improving connectivity through new and modernized infrastructure. Critics warn, however, that the initiative may also strengthen Beijing’s influence in Europe and create divisions within the EU by encouraging competition among member states. The thesis argues that Europe can benefit from OBOR if the EU responds in a coordinated way. The EU and its member states should agree on a clear, common position and use their bargaining power to secure better terms in negotiations with China. To assess how OBOR might shape European integration—and whether a unified European response is feasible—the study applies Liberal Intergovernmentalism, a theory developed by Andrew Moravcsik in the 1990s to explain how regional integration advances. This approach focuses on how national interests and domestic politics in each member state shape their stance toward the EU. Using this lens, the thesis examines whether the EU can overcome internal differences and present a shared strategy toward OBOR.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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