China: reshaping the global order?

The 17th EU-China Summit, celebrating the 40th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic relations, took place last June in Brussels, shortly after China released two important documents: its first action plan on the so-called ‘One Belt, One Road’ project (‘Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’, March 2015) and its first White Paper on China’s military strategy (May 2015). Apparently covering distinct areas and sets of issues, both documents should be studied jointly, as China’s foreign policy is becoming more integrated under Xi Jinping, based on a two-pronged approach: engaging in proactive and flexible economic diplomacy while at the same time maintaining a firm stance on sovereignty – first and foremost with regard to territorial claims in the East and South China Seas.