The EU and the Indo-Pacific

EU policy in the Indo-Pacific region reflects growing concern about China's revisionist agenda and efforts to strengthen relations with other Indo-Pacific partners. There is, therefore, a tension within EU policy between following an inclusive, cooperative approach, within which China may still be an important partner, and adopting a balance of power approach that forges partnerships in the Indo-Pacific to counterbalance Chinese efforts to re-shape the regional and global orders. EU support for economic development, human rights, and environmental sustainability in this region sometimes clashes with narrower European economic interests, notably ensuring market access and preserving the region as a low-cost production base for European firms. How these tensions are managed significantly affects regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and the EU's character as an international actor.