Webinar on Global Gateway & Belt and Road Initiative: European and Chinese Visions for Global Connectivity

As part of the Institute for China-Europe Studies’ (ICES) new dialogue series, titled 50 Years of EU-China Relations – a series of events surrounding expert voices on vital issues in the year of the 50th anniversary of EU-China relations –, we are happy to announce another webinar:

Global Gateway & Belt and Road Initiative: European and Chinese
Visions for Global Connectivity

Date: June 19, 2025

Time: 10:00-11:30 CEST (16:00-17:30 BJT)

Location: Zoom (registration is mandatory)

In the current context of rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and shifting global partnerships, the question of international norms and rules and the key actors in shaping them is becoming increasingly relevant. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by China over a decade ago, has grown far beyond its initial scope of development assistance with regard to infrastructure and investment. Today, it is increasingly seen as a strategic platform to influence global governance, improve Chinese soft power and create dependencies. In response to the Chinese initiative, which includes projects across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, the European Union has launched Global Gateway (GG), promoting values and addressing global governance issues while investing up to €300 billion between 2021 and 2027. The

sustainable and high-quality projects are supposed to benefit partner countries, spread European standards and create investment opportunities for EU member states.

This webinar offers a timely and critical exploration of how the BRI and GG are influencing global governance. What strategic interests, values and norms are embedded in these initiatives? How are they influencing global standards in finance, technology, and sustainability? And what are the possible fields of cooperation and competition between both initiatives?

To ensure an interesting and balanced debate, this event will feature the following distinguished speakers:

Dr. ZHANG Chao, Associate Professor at the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)

Prof. ZHOU Yuyuan, Deputy Director of the Center for West Asian and African Studies and Senior Research Fellow of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS)

Dr. Ceren ERGENÇ, Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Pauline VERON, Policy Analyst at the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECPDM)

The opening remarks will be delivered by Mr. Li YANG, Executive Director of ICAS. Dr. Marie-Sybille DE VIENNE, President of Extrême-Orient Conseil, will moderate the discussion.

To virtually join us for this exciting conversation, please sign up via the QR code or the following registration link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LSEDE7riQ4uvNjeahEbQWg#/registration