What should the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy focus on?

Rather than rivalry, the Europeans should focus on connectivity and rules

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European Union foreign ministers are expected to approve the broad outlines of their long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on April 19, paving the way for the bloc's policymakers to craft a comprehensive and more detailed final document by July.

The decision to release a "European" Indo-Pacific policy, in addition to the national versions from France, Germany and the Netherlands, is good news. It also reflects efforts by the 27-nation bloc to make its already significant presence in the region matter.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 09, 2021, with the headline What should the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy focus on?. Subscribe