EU-Asia Connectivity: France’s Three Largest Cities and China’s Belt and Road

Abstract

The concept of connectivity has over the past decades become central to economic competitiveness, especially in a world of value chains. It now tends to have both a strategic dimension - in a renewed geopolitical context - and a sustainable dimension - with global warming. This is particularly true in the EU-Asia relationship. The strengthening of this connectivity, particularly in the case of transport infrastructure (maritime, rail, air and submarine), provides opportunities for trade in goods, services and data but also human interactions between the two regions. But it goes further with the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While Europe has for several decades paid considerable attention to connectivity within its political borders, nothing was preparing it to the impact of this multifaceted initiative. This is particularly evident for the three largest French metropolitan areas (Paris, Lyon and Marseille), which show different degrees of connectivity with China, depending on whether it is a maritime, rail, air or submarine route. While it is not possible to simplify the connectivity with China of each city to only one aspect, it nevertheless appears that Paris has a powerful advantage on the air route, Lyon potentially on the rail route and Marseille on the submarine route.