China’s Belt and Road Initiative: an analysis of the European policy response
(2018) STVM23 20181Department of Political Science
- Abstract
- This master’s thesis analyses the extent to which EU member states and EU bodies have responded coherently towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The master’s thesis uses a mixed method approach: it begins with a comparative study of the Dutch, German, Czech and Hungarian policy responses towards the BRI. These are: an analysis of the national policy stance, the foreign policy stance and an analysis of whether tangible Chinese-backed infrastructure projects are taking place in the respective country. The thesis then analyses the EU policy response by analysing the EU-China Connectivity Platform and a new proposed strategy on China that was proposed by the HR/VP and the European Commission. The thesis is theoretically supported by the... (More)
- This master’s thesis analyses the extent to which EU member states and EU bodies have responded coherently towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The master’s thesis uses a mixed method approach: it begins with a comparative study of the Dutch, German, Czech and Hungarian policy responses towards the BRI. These are: an analysis of the national policy stance, the foreign policy stance and an analysis of whether tangible Chinese-backed infrastructure projects are taking place in the respective country. The thesis then analyses the EU policy response by analysing the EU-China Connectivity Platform and a new proposed strategy on China that was proposed by the HR/VP and the European Commission. The thesis is theoretically supported by the concept of coherence in EU actorness, in which I build on the insights of Bretherton & Vogler and Harmut Mayer. This master’s thesis ultimately concludes that EU member states have engaged very differently to China’s BRI, with the Czech and Hungarian governments much more receptive to Chinese finance than the Netherlands and Germany. Moreover, the EU policy response to the BRI is very limited at the time of writing. Therefore, insufficient sorts of coherence diminish the extent to which the EU can act effectively with the BRI. This is problematic, should the EU want to address issues of unfair public procurement, lack of transparency rules and the safeguarding of environmental regulations that are applicable to the BRI. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8939306
- author
- Nijbroek, Tim LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- STVM23 20181
- year
- 2018
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Belt and Road Initiative, BRI, European Union, EU, coherence, actorness, member states’ responses, levels of engagement.
- language
- English
- id
- 8939306
- date added to LUP
- 2018-08-22 08:23:17
- date last changed
- 2018-08-22 08:23:17
@misc{8939306, abstract = {{This master’s thesis analyses the extent to which EU member states and EU bodies have responded coherently towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The master’s thesis uses a mixed method approach: it begins with a comparative study of the Dutch, German, Czech and Hungarian policy responses towards the BRI. These are: an analysis of the national policy stance, the foreign policy stance and an analysis of whether tangible Chinese-backed infrastructure projects are taking place in the respective country. The thesis then analyses the EU policy response by analysing the EU-China Connectivity Platform and a new proposed strategy on China that was proposed by the HR/VP and the European Commission. The thesis is theoretically supported by the concept of coherence in EU actorness, in which I build on the insights of Bretherton & Vogler and Harmut Mayer. This master’s thesis ultimately concludes that EU member states have engaged very differently to China’s BRI, with the Czech and Hungarian governments much more receptive to Chinese finance than the Netherlands and Germany. Moreover, the EU policy response to the BRI is very limited at the time of writing. Therefore, insufficient sorts of coherence diminish the extent to which the EU can act effectively with the BRI. This is problematic, should the EU want to address issues of unfair public procurement, lack of transparency rules and the safeguarding of environmental regulations that are applicable to the BRI.}}, author = {{Nijbroek, Tim}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, title = {{China’s Belt and Road Initiative: an analysis of the European policy response}}, year = {{2018}}, }