China and Russia are becoming increasingly active in the Euroasian landmass, promoting competing integration projects. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the New Silk Road project, “ One belt, One Road” aiming at reviving the Silk Road – longest historical trade route – as well as a number of other potential major trade links across Euroasia. Russia, on the other hand, is actively promoting its newly founded Euroasian Economic Union. In Europe, these affords have, so far, gone largely unnoticed. In particular, China’s activities in the region are essentially uncharted, and Europe, like other regional powers, is struggling to understand the extent of Chinese planes and ambitions. But these Euroasian integration projects will have direct implications for the WEU, not least because several member states are directly concerned.
In order to find out more, ECFR conducted research among representatives of various EU institutions, with interlocutors in Russia, China, seven EU member states( Bulgaria, France, Germany,Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK), and six countries to the Euroasian landmass
( Azerbaijan, Greece, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine) based on standard questionnaires. The questionnaires, comprising 44 questions, cover the thematic areas of economy, politics, and public opinion for each integration project (OBOR, the EEU, and the EU), as well as country – specific questions. The interlocutors represent a mix of policy makers, decision-makers, economists, business – people, and analyst. The number of interviewees in each country varies between five and ten, but the Russia and China, and the EU institutions, the number interviewed was well beyond ten. The research for this project was conducted between June 2015 and April 2016.
