Southeast European Crossroads in China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Southeast European Crossroads in China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Summary/Abstract: At the beginning of 2019, more than 100 countries had signed cooperation agreements with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 17 EU member states are also members of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The “16+1 framework” established by China in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe in 2013, now includes eleven EU member states and five countries from the Western Balkans. The contribution inquires what recent developments characterize China’s activities in countriessuch as Greece, Serbia and Croatia. What has changed during 2018? What lessons has China learned and what lessons are countries in the region learning during the past five years of participating in the BRI? Finally, how is the European Commission in Brussels reacting to the growing presence of China in (Southeast) Europe?

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