China as a systemic rival for European Union : Model projection in Western Balkans
Alternative titles :
[fr] La Chine, rival systémique de l'Union Européenne: Projection de modèle dans les Balkans occidentaux
Publication date :
2022
Event name :
ATINER - 19th Annual International Conference on Politics & International Studies
Event organizer :
Politics & International Affairs Unit of ATINER
Event place :
Athènes, Greece
Event date :
16/06/2022
By request :
Yes
Audience :
International
References of the abstract :
This paper seeks to reflect on EU multifaceted approach toward China, it question the way EU’s claim over systemic rivalry reflect concrete consequences of China’s action. As defined by the European Commission in 2019, systemic rivalry rely in china’s alternative model promotion. However, academic attempts to define this new model tend to overlook its complexity. Indeed, the renewal of great power strategy tend to put the emphasis on geostrategic consideration leading their findings to poor explanatory force regarding the resilience of EU-China strategic partnership.
Thus, this paper aims at offering new theoretical and empirical elements considering EU multifaceted approach as a whole. To do so the paper rely on a hypothetical deductive approach based on desk research and grey literature analysis. Hypothesis are confront to factual analysis through the case study of Western Balkans. This region is at the cross road between EU enlargement policy and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Those six states do represent a unique arena for model confrontation.
