Arta Haxhixhemajli
Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 9, 2022, No. 2
China’s influence in the CEE countries -
the relation and its impact on the region
Arta Haxhixhemajli
Abstract. In the last few years, China has managed to experience an economic boost and maintain its relation with Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. The paper presents the evolution and the results of the 16+1 initiative from the beginning to the present. It compares it in terms of trade, economy, foreign policy, and geopolitics by identifying China’s influence and analysing its importance in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Nonetheless, the development of the 16+1 initiative has demonstrated that China is becoming a power through growing investments and enlargement compared to the European Union (EU). The trade relations between China and the CEE region are constantly growing in fund projects, energy, infrastructure, and transport. Furthermore, the paper tackles factual information to understand Chinese involvement in the CEE and on which spectrum of cooperation from the lenses of the EU.
Keywords: China, 16+1 initiative, European Union, trade, foreign policy