#infrastructure
Chinese Stakes in European Ports: Geopolitical Threat or Mere Business Venture?
Chinese investments in European ports have sparked fears and a debate over the obligations of business to deal with matters of national security. Understanding the economic and political importance of ports, and the actors involved in Chinese investments, can help to evaluate their economic and political impacts in a way that is strategically minded but does not shut the door for business.
Reaching the New Levels of Sino-Serbian Relations
While China’s presence in Central and Eastern Europe has been affected by the crisis of the erstwhile “17+1” format after the withdrawal of the Baltic countries, Beijing still has committed partners in the region.
Open RAN – Not Solving the “5G China Challenge”
The high market share of Chinese technology giant Huawei in 5G infrastructure has made observers hope that a technological disaggregation of 5G’s Radio Access Network (RAN) could solve geopolitical challenges posed by China. While technologically promising, this approach, known as Open RAN, neither reduces reliance on China nor necessarily offers a higher degree of network security.
Duisburg: From a Dirty Old Town to Germany’s China City?
The German rust belt city of Duisburg has been at the forefront of cooperation between China and Germany. However, the uncertainty over the future economic engagement of Chinese actors in the city and the growing geopolitical risks increasingly put the future of cooperation into question.
Montenegro’s Chinese-built Highway as its Path to Europe
The priority section of Montenegro’s first-ever highway opened last month after seven years of construction and multiple delays. Beyond being the most important infrastructural project in Montenegro to date, it has become a substantial factor in Montenegro’s foreign policy and internal identity politics.
Montenegro’s Growing Distance from China
This article is part of a series of articles authored by young, aspiring China scholars under the Future CHOICE initiative. As Montenegro continues its westward turn in foreign policy, the erstwhile interest in expanding ties…
China’s Belt and Road Loses a Notch and Gains a Bump
With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in full sway, China’s plans to expand trade and fortify transportation ties with Central and Eastern Europe have been thrown into disarray. Yet, even though the Russian…
The Global Gateway Joins the Competition Against the BRI
Recently, the EU officially launched the Global Gateway strategy as a new branding for its EU-Asia connectivity programs. This happened more than two months after Ursula von der Leyen first announced the strategy during…
How Cernavodă Made Romania a Key Geopolitical Battleground in Europe
In 2013, after the then-16+1 summit in Bucharest, Romania was bombarded with gushing headlines about a dozen Chinese investments and projects that would soon supercharge the Romanian economy, with the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant…
Voice for CHOICE: Agnes Szunomar on China’s Infrastructure Push in CEE
Agnes Szunomar on China’s Infrastructure Push in CEE
Learn the Rules to Master the Game: Chinese Infrastructure Investments in the Balkans
With activities ranging from hastily assembled initiatives to holistic market assessments, Chinese companies are getting their foot in the door to the Balkans-with clear intentions of leaving a lasting footprint in the region’s infrastructure…
The New Budapest-Belgrade Railway Line: A White Elephant on the New Silk Road
The rise of China as a global economic power is increasingly seen as a threat to American and European interests. According to Washington, China is disrupting global trade by demanding to be treated like…