THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS

Connectivity, including infrastructure development (âhard connectivityâ) as well as regulatory measures, the digital field, people-to-people ties, etc. (Ê»soft connectivityâ), is increasingly becoming an area of great-power competition. A key driver has been Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a...

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Main Author: Bart Gaens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Estonian Academy Publishers 2023-08-01
Series:Trames
Subjects:
Online Access:https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-3-2023-199-218_20230821135727.pdf
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author Bart Gaens
author_facet Bart Gaens
author_sort Bart Gaens
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description Connectivity, including infrastructure development (âhard connectivityâ) as well as regulatory measures, the digital field, people-to-people ties, etc. (Ê»soft connectivityâ), is increasingly becoming an area of great-power competition. A key driver has been Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a large-scale project based on foreign investments and infrastructure development in third countries launched in 2014. This article zooms in on how the European Union and Japan have sought to propose an alternative model by creating a Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure in 2019. The article starts off by defining connectivity and elaborating on its link with geopolitics. It depicts connectivity as a theatre for both cooperation and competition, including by way of an analytical framework comprising six spheres and six logics. After sketching the synergies, complementarities and shared interests, the article surveys the EU-Japan partnershipâs progress on the ground. The concluding sections outline limitations and possible ways forward.
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spelling doaj.art-ae2c236ea8e947978d9fa8740f61256b2023-08-21T12:49:27ZengEstonian Academy PublishersTrames1406-09221736-75142023-08-01273199218https://doi.org/10.3176/tr.2023.3.02https://doi.org/10.3176/tr.2023.3.02THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKSBart Gaens0Finnish Institute of International Affairs Arkadiankatu 23B 00100 Helsinki, FinlandConnectivity, including infrastructure development (âhard connectivityâ) as well as regulatory measures, the digital field, people-to-people ties, etc. (Ê»soft connectivityâ), is increasingly becoming an area of great-power competition. A key driver has been Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a large-scale project based on foreign investments and infrastructure development in third countries launched in 2014. This article zooms in on how the European Union and Japan have sought to propose an alternative model by creating a Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure in 2019. The article starts off by defining connectivity and elaborating on its link with geopolitics. It depicts connectivity as a theatre for both cooperation and competition, including by way of an analytical framework comprising six spheres and six logics. After sketching the synergies, complementarities and shared interests, the article surveys the EU-Japan partnershipâs progress on the ground. The concluding sections outline limitations and possible ways forward.https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-3-2023-199-218_20230821135727.pdfconnectivityeuropean unionjapaninfrastructure developmentinvestment cooperationsustainabilitygreat-power competition
spellingShingle Bart Gaens
THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
Trames
connectivity
european union
japan
infrastructure development
investment cooperation
sustainability
great-power competition
title THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
title_full THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
title_fullStr THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
title_full_unstemmed THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
title_short THE EU-JAPAN CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP – ROADWAYS AND ROADBLOCKS
title_sort eu japan connectivity partnership roadways and roadblocks
topic connectivity
european union
japan
infrastructure development
investment cooperation
sustainability
great-power competition
url https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-3-2023-199-218_20230821135727.pdf
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