The Caucasus 3 Plus the Baltic 3 and Economic Cooperation with China

Abstract

This study analyses China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative for the Baltic and South Caucasus countries. Trade, Foreign Direct Investments and transit potential are taken as main factors for the cooperation. A clash of China and the West in pursuing economic leadership is taken into account. The study suggests a new, alternative route for the OBOR initiative through the Caucasus, which has all the needed infrastructure and readiness for being started. Moreover, Georgia is not new to the EU preferences, it has experience of GSP+ and now the unique achievement of free trade regimes with the EU and China is also taken as an alternative route and an advantage for the Caucasus and the Baltic States.

Promoting Fintech Financing for Sme in S. Caucasian and Baltic States, During the Covid-19 Global Pandemic

“…-by 2023, several countries launching digitization initiatives with ultimate goal of eliminating cash from circulation (Ford & Joliet, 2020); -By 2024, mobile proximity payment users worldwide doubling to around 2 billion units, in comparison to less than 1 billion in 2019 (Ford & Joliet, 2020); -Global FDI growth trend, guaranteeing globalisation's economic benefits not only for developed, but also developing countries (Charaia et al, 2018) and thus global innovations diffusion need. At the same time as for nowadays, credit cards are still the dominant source for nonpayments (72%), however new and new local and regional payment systems appearing all over the world (Capgemini, 2020), will probably change the situation soon, most probably decreasing the role of banking system and benefiting the fintech industry bigger than ever before.…”

The ‘cool war’ in the Baltic Sea Region: consequences and future scenarios..

“…Both the 16+1 and the Belt and Road give priority to economic projects. The Chinese pay special attention to IT, communications, transport, development, and infrastructure [11]. Today, Beijing does not have any significant political differences with the Baltic Sea states; it rarely makes political statements regarding the situation in the region.…”

“…Russia suspended its participation in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe in 2007 and completely withdrew from it in 2015. 11 The reason for this decision was the discontent of the Russian military with the treaty's flank restrictions. 12 The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty of 1987, which symbolised the end of the Cold War, was terminated in August 2019.…”

The Impact of FDI on Economic Development: The Case of Georgia

“…2); it is mainly interested in infrastructural projects to diversify its hydrocarbon resources transportation through Georgia. There is also a new emerging player-China, with already quite a significant amount of investments (almost 700 million US dollars in the last decade), huge potential and opportunities in nearly all sectors of Georgia's economy, especially under its One Belt, One Road global initiative and free trade regimes already signed between China-Georgia and EU-Georgia (Charaia et al, 2018). Based on the different countries' interests in Georgia, which could vary from very primitive to high-tech industries, from local resource obtaining to geostrategic positioning, other sectors that get FDIs in Georgia are highly diversified, including the energy, transport, financial, real estate and other sectors (see Fig.…”