#CEE
Unrest in Kazakhstan Only Solidifies China-Russia Ties
The Russian-led military operation in Kazakhstan has presented an important test for Moscow’s ties with Beijing. In early January, Kazakhstan was shaken by nationwide protests that sparked uncertainty in the central Asian nation that…
In Serbia, Private Interest Becomes National Interest
Protests in Serbia are provoking rarely seen responses from the government in Belgrade. Faced with widespread unrest and demonstrations in the streets, the Serbian government recently withdrew Draft Amendments to the Law on Expropriation. This marked only…
Vilnius the Valiant No More?
From its donation of 255,900 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to organizing a week-long parliamentary delegation to Taiwan, Lithuania has positioned itself as an early and reliable stalwart in the pursuit of closer ties between…
What 2021 Tells Us About the Future of China-CEE Relations
The year gone by was a tumultuous one for Europe’s relations with China, to say the least. With the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) put on hold, a round of sanctions imposed on China…
Voice for CHOICE #13: Examining China’s CEE Investment Aims with Ágnes Szunomár
Via the 16+1 platform, the Belt and Road, the Digital Silk Road, and more, there is no shortage of Chinese investment initiatives touching the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. This includes infrastructure projects…
Expert Roundtable: The Impacts of China-Funded Projects in the Western Balkans
The EU future for the countries in Western Balkans has recently been challenged. This ambiguity has offered an opening to non-European actors eager to exert influence and exploit openings in the region, including China.…
Editors’ CHOICE: Best of 2021
It has been a busy year in China-CEE relations, to say the least. Whether it be the burgeoning ties to Taiwan raising Beijing’s ire, the 17+1 platform underperforming in President Xi’s first appearance, or…
China Pulls the Economic Coercion Card Against Lithuania
In early December, Lithuanian companies began to sense the extent of the economic price they might pay for the diplomatic row between Vilnius and Beijing. What initially appeared as a moderate diplomatic response was…
The Sino-Lithuanian Diplomatic Standoff Escalates
One year after entering office with a promise of an ambitious values-based foreign policy, the Lithuanian government is indeed creating ripples on the global stage. Most prominently, Vilnius’ decision to leave China’s 17+1 format…
Can the EU Really Re-engage with China?
After a difficult year, Brussels appears to be attempting to mend fences with China and reestablish a dialogue. Since September, the key word in Brussels has been “re-engage”. What re-engage means and how it…
Western Sanctions on Belarus’s Potash Industry Test Beijing-Minsk Partnership
At the beginning of September, the Belarusian news outlet Nasha Niva revealed that due to Western sanctions on Belarusbank, China had not paid another tranche of credit ($103 million) for the construction of the $2 billion…
High Ambitions But No Teeth in China’s Environmental Guidelines for Investing Abroad
As Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) has increased rapidly throughout the years, so has Chinese companies’ environmental footprint around the globe. Energy, mining, and construction companies are the usual suspects, but heavy industries have…