Strategic responses of regional economic organizations to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative: the cases of ASEAN, EAEU, and EU

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to undertake a systematic comparative analysis of how regional economic organizations (REOs) in the wider Eurasian region have strategically responded to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. The theoretical framework is based on the external actorness literature, comparative regionalism, and foreign policy analysis. The analysis links the distinctive features of the REOs to the shape and impact of their strategic responses to the Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, it shows the extent to which REOs play a functional role vis-à-vis their member states and large firms in a macro-regional strategic context.