PR China’s economic rise has been increasingly accompanied by attempts to exert political and diplomatic influence, as well as to promote its political model and values. Its novel foreign policy approach has put China at odds with the USA and other Western powers, including the EU and several member states, especially after China’s retaliation following EU’s sanctions against 4 Chinese officials. In such an increasingly polarized geopolitical landscape, the Western Balkans could be faced with difficult choices and decisions. While admittedly they are entitled to maintain and develop their cooperation with China, they will have to make sure that it is conducted in a way that does not hamper their EU accession process and does not alienate their Western partners. Hence, it will be imperative for them to build their strategic position on a balanced foundation of values and interests.
The article prepared by Ana Krstinovska at hand aims to examine the current dilemmas that the Western Balkan countries may be facing in light of the recent EU-China developments, to weigh the potential benefits and risks of the cooperation with China, to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of China’s presence in the Western Balkans and to provide recommendations that could help policymakers both in the region and in the EU to make informed choices regarding China related issues.