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European Union must ‘play offence’ to offset China’s rising influence in Africa and Asia, insiders say

  • Brussels has to move away from its defensive strategy if it wants to compete for global infrastructure deals, promote its ideals, MEPs say
  • Two sides ended their summit last week with an agreement to increase cooperation on infrastructure development

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China has used belt and road plan projects like the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway to boost its influence in Africa. Photo: Xinhua
Keegan Elmerin Beijing

The European Union must adopt a more attacking strategy if it wants to compete with China on infrastructure development projects and promote its values in Africa and Asia, according to two of the bloc’s leading authorities on Beijing policy.

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Reinhard Bütikofer, a member of the European Parliament and deputy chairman of its delegation for relations with China, said that after the promises made at last week’s EU-China summit the time was ripe for Brussels to push ahead with its global “connectivity strategy”.

The bloc had been playing “defence” to check China’s influence in its own backyard, he said, citing the introduction of anti-dumping measures and a new investment screening mechanism on April 1.

“But you will never win a soccer match just by successfully defending your own goal. You have to also play offence,” he said.

MEP Reinhard Bütikofer says the EU must do more to compete with Beijing on infrastructure development projects in Asia and Africa. Photo: AP
MEP Reinhard Bütikofer says the EU must do more to compete with Beijing on infrastructure development projects in Asia and Africa. Photo: AP
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At the end of their meeting in Brussels last week, the EU and China issued a joint statement in which they pledged to “continue to forge synergies” between the connectivity strategy and Beijing’s ambitious trade and infrastructure development programme known as the “Belt and Road Initiative”.

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