The shaky foundations of the Indo-Pacific and the role of the EU

Abstract

Over the last decade, Indo-Pacific has become a buzzword describing the redefined vision for the Asia-Pacific region stretching from the Pacific Ocean into Eastern Africa. Promoted by Japan, the USA and several other allies, the new regional demarcation was understood to provide a better foundation for fostering regional security and economic cooperation. But does the new discursive framing represent any significant on-the-ground change in regional integration? We argue that although the Indo-Pacific narrative has a geopolitical substance in addressing the rise of China, it has yet to develop as a comprehensive regional framing beyond the geopolitical alliance. Institutionally, economically and culturally, there are few connections between the countries within the vast region, and there remain significant hurdles on the possibility of regional integration. This, however, opens the door to EU’s proactive diplomacy. With a significant experience in region-building, the Union can serve as a normative leader providing guidance on how to facilitate cooperation among varied actors, but also how to constructively engage China.