#EU
China’s Aid in the Western Balkans: Supporting Development, Undermining Good Governance
In a brand new CHOICE paper, China’s development assistance to all the countries that make up the Western Balkans is put under the microscope. The new study by Ana Krstinovska analyzes the Chinese economic…
Sino-Slovenian Relations Off to a Rocky Start in 2022
This article is part of both our Election Monitor series focusing on China as a topic in elections across Central and Eastern Europe as well as a series of articles authored by young, aspiring…
Amid Ukraine Tensions, Moscow and Beijing Grow Closer
On the sidelines of the Beijing Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for the 38th time, issuing a joint statement that may well become a major milestone in bilateral…
China Challenge Shapes Europe’s Changing Approach to the Indo-Pacific
For the first time ever, the foreign ministers of the EU-27 will meet 30 of their Indo-Pacific counterparts at a high-level forum in Paris on February 22. This “27+30” event is likely to focus…
The French EU Presidency Must Be More Ambitious with China Agenda
During the last informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brest in mid-January, “China’s attitude towards certain Member States of the Union which are experiencing great political, economic and commercial pressure” featured on…
Beijing Olympics Row Reveals Cracks in the Czech China Policy
The new Czech government under Prime Minister Petr Fiala, just inaugurated in December, promised “a change people can believe in.” Among these expected changes, foreign policy is one of the most prominent areas due…
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…