European Union announces strategy for cooperation in Indo-Pacific amid rising China threat

The European Union on April 19 announced to step up its influence in the Indo-Pacific region in a bid to protect its interests and counter China’s rising power. According to a 10-page document, the 27-member bloc wants to use the nascent plan to show Beijing that it is against the spread of authoritarianism. However, the EU foreign ministers said that the plan was not against China and added that the bloc considers that the EU should reinforce its strategic focus, presence and actions in the Indo-Pacific - based on the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights and international law. 

In a statement, EU’s foreign ministers said, “The approach and engagement will be principled with a long-term perspective, with the aim of contributing to the stability, security, prosperity and sustainable development of the region, based on the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights and international law”. 

EU to develop partnerships with ‘like-minded partners’ 

Led by France, Germany and the Netherlands, the 27-member bloc said that they would seek to work with “like-minded partners” to uphold basic rights in the Indo-Pacific region. The diplomats also added that the strategy is deliberately pragmatic, flexible and multi-faceted, allowing the EU to adapt and build its cooperation according to specific policy areas where partners can find common ground based on shared principles, values or mutual interest. Further, the EU will also deepen its engagement on the Indo-Pacific in particular with those partners that have already announced Indo-Pacific approaches of their own.

The statement read, “The EU will further develop partnerships and strengthen synergies with like-minded partners and relevant organisations in security and defence. This will include responding to challenges to international security, including maritime security”. 

While the diplomats did not mention China in detail, the language, however, is believed to a code for support of the United States under President Joe Biden in his approach to China, amid concerns that Beijing is pursuing technological and military modernisation that threatens the West and its trading partners in Asia. The EU diplomats said that the countries in the Indo-Pacific want the EU to be active in the region to keep trade open and to ensure they are not left facing a choice between Beijing and Washington, whose relations are turning confrontational. 

Moreover, the diplomats added that the strategy will allow the EU to enhance cooperation further in many areas such as ocean governance, health, research and technology, security and defence, connectivity, and strengthen working together on tackling global challenges such as climate change. But it is still unclear how far the EU is willing to go on security. The bloc is hungry for new trade and it sees the Indo-Pacific as offering potential. 

(Image: Twitter/AP)