European Foreign Policy toward Asia moving toward security concerns

presentation at Carnegie in Washington

On June 28, 2016, High Representative Federica Mogherini presented the EU Global Strategy on foreign and security policy--Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe, A Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign And Security Policy, European Union, July 7, 2016, 60 pages--to EU leaders meeting in Brussels at the EU summit. Ms. Mogherini was mandated to prepare the new strategy by the European Council in June 2015.

At the press conference, she said:

"The purpose, even existence, of our Union is being questioned. Yet, our citizens and the world need a strong European Union like never before. In challenging times, a strong Union is one that thinks strategically, shares a vision and acts together. This is even more true after the British referendum. We will indeed have to rethink the way our Union works, but we perfectly know what to work for. We know what our principles, our interests and our priorities are. This is no time for uncertainty: our Union needs a Strategy. We need a shared vision, and common action."

In regard to Asia, the Strategy says:

…We will deepen economic diplomacy and scale up our security role in Asia.

The EU will engage China based on respect for rule of law, both domestically and internationally….drives westwards by maximising the potential of the EU-China Connectivity Platform, and the ASEM and EU-ASEAN frameworks. The EU will also deepen trade and investment with China…seeking a level playing field, appropriate intellectual property rights protection, greater cooperation on high-end technology, and dialogue on economic reform, human rights and climate action.

The EU will deepen its economic diplomacy in the region, working towards ambitious free trade agreements with strategic partners such as Japan and India, as well as ASEAN member states, with the goal of an eventual EU-ASEAN agreement.….We will promote non-proliferation in the Korean peninsula.

In East and Southeast Asia, we will uphold freedom of navigation, stand firm on the respect for international law, including the Law of the Sea and its arbitration procedures, and encourage the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes…We will help build maritime capacities and support an ASEAN-led regional security architecture.

In Central and South Asia, we will deepen cooperation on counter-terrorism, anti-trafficking and migration, as well as enhance transport, trade and energy connectivity. Across the Indo Pacific and East Asian regions, the EU will promote human rights and support democratic transitions such as in Myanmar/Burma.

Full text: http://europa.eu/globalstrategy/sites/globalstrategy/files/eugs_review_web.pdf