The development and future of the Netherlands’ Indo-Pacific strategy (Chinese)

Abstract

“Indo-Pacific Region” and “Indo-Pacific Strategy” have evolved to become the core of the foreign policies of many countries in Asia. The Netherlands is the third EU country, following France and Germany, to propose an Indo-Pacific Strategy and has been an active advocate for the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy since April 2021. As a typical middle power, the Netherlands’ promotion of the Indo-Pacific Strategy is characterized by agenda setting, alliance building, and the application of soft power to maximize its influence and place its interests on the EU agenda.

Overall, the Netherlands’ Indo-Pacific Strategy is comprehensive, covering various areas such as economic trade, regional security, human rights and the rule of law, climate change, and sustainable development. The values and positions it upholds are reflected in the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. For the Netherlands, a coherent and comprehensive Indo-Pacific Strategy helps enhance the EU’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, enabling the EU to become a leader in a rules-based Indo-Pacific order and maintain its independence and autonomy outside the influence of major powers such as China and the United States. It embodies the spirit of multilateralism and internationalist diplomacy.