Is China’s rising influence in the Western Balkans a threat to European integration?

Abstract

China's increased economic engagement with post-communist countries in the Western Balkans in the last decade has added to the complexity of democratic consolidation in the region, with possible negative impacts on the established process of European integration of these countries, foremost Serbia and Albania. This article addresses the impacts of the increased economic and to some extent political presence of China in the Western Balkan states over the past decade which has been exerted through both economic investment and trade incentives as well as a more sophisticated use of China's soft power. The latter is exemplified in the greater number of cultural, educational and scientific exchanges between these states and China within the 16 + 1 (17 + 1 after 2018) cooperation framework and bilaterally. The article discusses China's engagement with the Western Balkan countries on a case-by-case basis. The cases of Croatia, as an EU member, and of Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, as official candidates for EU membership, are examined to show the impact of the relationship with China on these states' adherence to the European integration process.

Chinese Impact in the Western Balkans: the Effect of the Belt and Road Initiative on the EU's Normative Role

“…The important point is the governments want to direct the media to show China as a friendly and cooperation-oriented actor. 36 Considering that there are problems in media independence and states have a serious steering power in this sense, it can be understood how critical China's ties with governments are in manipulating the media.…”

“…35 Ibid., p. 5. 36 Xhorxhina Bami, China Increasing its Footprint in Balkan Media, Study Concludes, "Balkan Insight", 2020, https://balkaninsight.com/2020/12/09/china-increasing-itsfootprint-in-balkan-media-study-concludes/ (Accessed on 18.01.2022). 37…”

Quo Vadis Cooperation Between China and Eastern Europe in the Era of COVID‐19?

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China’s Changing Foreign Relations with Small and Middle Powers: A Comparative Analysis of the Cases of Australia, the Solomon Islands, and Central and East European Countries (CEEC)

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