Connecting Europe and China - Prospects for the Middle Corridor

This timely book analyses how the EU and China have collaborated in financing and managing projects to improve the functioning of the Middle Corridor. It examines the EU’s multifaceted view of China: as an economic competitor, a systemic rival and, increasingly, as a partner for cooperation.

In light of the 2022 sanctions imposed on Russian railways, this book evaluates the methods and likely outcomes of the EU and China’s efforts to establish routes which bypass Russia and Iran. It explores the various modes of collaboration required to achieve this goal, involving the Caucasus, Central Asia and Türkiye, as well as the impacts of cooperation on Eurasian overland trade on these countries. Within the broader context of Sino-European relations, Richard Pomfret concludes by demonstrating how cooperation can be applied in other contexts to help stabilize an uncertain global economy.

Connecting Europe and China is an essential read for scholars and students interested in the role of the EU and China in the global system, particularly those in the fields of economics, politics, international relations and economic geography. It is also relevant for readers interested in the position of Central Asia and the Caucasus in the Eurasian landmass.

Contents

Preface

1 Introduction to Connecting Europe and China

2 Linking Europe and China by rail

3 The search for alternative routes

4 The Caucasus and Türkiye

5 The Central Asian countries

6 China

7 The European Union

8 Conclusions and outlook

Bibliography