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China’s Belt and Road Initiative: an analysis of the European policy response

Nijbroek, Tim LU (2018) STVM23 20181
Department 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)
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author
Nijbroek, Tim LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM23 20181
year
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}},
}