ABSTRACT
The European Union (EU) and its member states have long played a strong role in shaping trade and development cooperation in Asia. Over the last decade, however, China’s engagement and influence in the region have risen dramatically. While the EU’s stated intention within international cooperation is to promote sustainable global development, participatory and equitable trade and human rights, as well as peace and security, China’s primary goals have frequently been more ambiguous and, in many instances, linked to political and economic objectives. This research therefore explores the EU and China’s means and ends regarding international cooperation, and what these may reveal about the genuine intentions underlying the intra- and transregional interactions, notably via the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Analysing the case of EU/China’s development cooperation with Myanmar, this chapter explores the challenges facing the ASEAN member states linked to the involvement of China as a predominant development actor as compared to engaging with an extra-regional partner, such as the EU.
