EU and Chinese Interests at the Western Balkans Crossroads: Economic Challengers or Political and Security Competitors

Arnaudov, Mitko and Pajić, Nataša (2024) EU and Chinese Interests at the Western Balkans Crossroads: Economic Challengers or Political and Security Competitors. In: The 4rd “Dialogues on China” International Academic Conference: Harvesting the winds of change: China and the global actors. Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade, pp. 345-374. ISBN 978-86-7067-339-7

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Abstract

Over the past decade, the Western Balkans (WB) has increasingly become a focal point for various global powers across multiple domains. Precisely, a significant debate has emerged around the economic role of Chinese investments in the WB region, ranging from radical perspectives claiming that the economic interests of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are a precursor to the Chinese political and security interference in the region to more pragmatic views that suggest Chinese investments in the WB region will compete with and challenge the role of the European Union (EU), particularly in the context of the frozen EU integration process. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse the last ten years, using deduction to determine whether Chinese economic inflows in the WB region could lead to greater influence in the political and security domains. Additionally, based on this research and through the method of prediction, the authors will provide potential answers regarding future Chinese foreign policy steps and its role in the WB region. From a theoretical perspective, the paper seeks to demonstrate that the implementation of political and security interests of so-called global players, such as China, is not always rooted in economic mechanisms and resources. From a practical perspective, the research aims to explain whether China’s presence in the WB region accelerates or hinders the EU integration path for WB actors—from the normative perspective.

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