Voice for CHOICE (China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe)

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a momentum for Georgia to become a major transit hub as both the EU and China are looking to diversify their trade routes away from Russia. Over the past decade, Tbilisi and Beijing have deepened their economic ties. At the end of July 2023, China and Georgia announced an upgrade in bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. While China is seeking to expand its presence in the South Caucusus, Tbilisi might be using the partnership with China to grant concessions from Brussels ahead of the EU's decision on the country's candidacy for membership. This month's guest Emil Avdaliani, Professor of International Relations at European University in Tbilisi. Show notes New World Order and Small Regions: The Case of South Caucasus China, Russia and New Eurasian Order China Still Ambivalent About the Middle Corridor

China’s tacit approval for the Russian invasion of Ukraine is significantly shaping both the Polish public opinion on China as well as the political and business elite's perception of China. Although views still diverge among different actors and political parties. Geopolitical shifts underway with the US and China also played a role in shaping Sino-Polish relations. Furthermore, the growing perception that NATO’s eastern flank as a theater of war and East Asian geopolitical theaters are merging constitutes a source of concern for Warsaw. This month's guest Alicja Bachulska, Research Fellow at CHOICE and Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Show notes Breaking the Mold: Poland Changes Course on China Policy Amid War in Ukraine The China-Russia Power Play China and Ukraine: The Chinese debate about Russia’s war and its meaning for the world Recent Polling Uncovers the Blind Spots in the European China Debate

China is among the biggest global importers of all the Western Balkans extractive exports. China’s interest in the region's extractive and raw materials industries is related to its overall need for certain raw materials as they are crucial in supporting the country's manufacturing sector, fueling economic growth, and supporting technological advancements across various industries. While exports and investments in the extractive sector do help the local economies, the overreliance on extractive exports from polluting industries, which deplete natural resources and have a low value-added component in the bilateral trade relationship, is a reason for concern. Moreover, some Chinese projects seem to exploit structural weaknesses related to rule of law and good governance, as seen especially in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This Month’s Guest Ana Krstinovska, Research Fellow at CHOICE, President at ESTIMA. Show notes “Win Some, Lose Some”: China’s Involvement in the Extractive and Raw Materials Industries in the Western Balkans

China's special diplomatic mission is touring Kyiv, Warsaw, Paris, Berlin and Moscow in a stated mission to search for a political solution to the war in Ukraine. However, a number of Central and Eastern European leaders have expressed doubts about China's credibility as a peacemaker. This has been further exacerbated by the recent diplomatic scandal of Lu Shaye who questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet countries. Just a few days after the Chinese ambassador's controversial interview, Xi Jinping spoke with Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since the beginning of the invasion. China’s position on the war in Ukraine as well as the Sino-Russian partnership has been under increased scrutiny and will remain the main factor shaping the relations between China and Europe. This Month's Guest Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova, Research Fellow at CHOICE, Head of the Political Science PhD programme and China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University, Head of the Asia Programme at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs Show notes Perfect Imbalance: China and Russia Backing Russia on Ukraine: China’s Messaging in Central and Eastern Europe Speaking Whose Mind? Why the Consequences of Lu Shaye’s Comments Go Beyond the Baltics “Depends on How You Look at It”: Russia Struggles to Explain Why “Power of Siberia 2” Is Still Not Happening

Recently, Honduras broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan opening the door to establishing official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Taiwan thus lost a ninth diplomatic ally since the current President, Tsai Ing-wen, came to power in 2016, leaving the island state with only 13 sovereign official partners. While Taiwan's international recognition is shrinking, its parliamentary diplomatic ties with like-minded partners are burgeoning. In March, Taiwan welcomed the largest-ever Czech delegation to the island led by the Czech Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and US House Speaker McCarthy became the highest US official to meet with a Taiwanese leader on domestic soil since Washington established formal diplomatic ties with China in 1979. A new model for Taiwan's engagement with the world is thus in the shaping. This Month's Guest Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Assistant Professor at the National Dong Hwa University in Hualien, Affiliated Scholar at the Department of Political Science of the Free University of Brussels, Head of the Associate Network at 9DASHLINE, Research Fellow at ISDP in Sweden and at Taiwan Next Gen Foundation in Taiwan. Show notes Unpacking Beijing’s Narrative on Taiwan Taiwan in the European Discourse: Toward Political Consensus? Parliamentary Diplomacy to Boost the Resilience of EU-Taiwan Ties 'It is in the EU's own interest to contribute to Taiwan's democratic resilience'

Building up on the previous parliamentary delegations to the island, speaker of Czech Parliament’s lower house, Markéta Adamová Pekarová, is arriving in Taiwan today. Despite protests from the Chinese embassy in Prague, she is heading the country’s largest-ever delegation to the island consisting of political representatives, entrepreneurs and scientists. While the visit has been planned for a long time, it comes soon after the election of the new president, Petr Pavel, who demonstrated his pro-Taiwan stance by his post-election call with the Taiwanese president. Czech-Taiwanese ties are thus in for a major political boost. This Month's Guest Alice Rezková a Research Fellow at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) and Executive Director of the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber Show notes Bilateral Investment Agreement with Taiwan: Why should the Czech Republic say yes and support it at the EU level?

After three years of self-imposed isolation, China has opened up to the world. Xi Jinping has come back to the diplomatic stage and we have seen a renewal of high-level visits. In recent weeks, Beijing has toned down its ‘wolf warrior diplomacy’ and Chinese officials have been trying to find ways to reinvigorate relations with Europe. However, experts have warned that China's charm offensive should not be mistaken for a fundamental reset in China's foreign policy. There remain numerous points of contention between China and Europe, most prominently Beijing's tacit support for Russia’s war on Ukraine. Eastern Europeans’ deepening ties with Taiwan are also likely to further complicate the relationship. China-EU ties in 2023 will thus be dominated by uncertainty and a risk of further deterioration. This Month’s Guest: Grzegorz Stec, Analyst, Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) Show notes What lies beneath – EU-China relations under Swedish presidency EU must beware Beijing's new charm offensive EU-China summits: From cooperation to damage control How China views the EU amid the Russia-Ukraine war: Contradictions of transatlantic relations and strategic autonomy

China has positioned itself as a member of the Global South family and has poured billions of dollars into building infrastructure in Africa and Southeast Asia to increase its clout in these regions and popularize its authoritarian development model. China's ability to leverage its influence in the Global South has been reflected in the voting patterns of the developing countries in various multilateral bodies. The US and Europe are struggling to compete with China in the global connectivity and infrastructure race. Joshua Eisenman, Associate Professor of politics, Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame and Fellow, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and Pulte Institute for Global Development, Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame Show notes: China’s geostrategic conception of the developing world Building a more “Democratic” and “Multipolar” World: China’s Strategic Engagement with Developing Countries Rising China’s Influence in Developing Asia

In recent years, risks related to scientific collaboration with China have received more attention. There are growing fears over unwanted technology transfers, breaches of academic freedom, and concerns about ethical norms in research collaboration with China. However, research institutions and universities are often not well equipped to address these challenges. As a result, national governments have developed measures to safeguard their Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) sectors. Policymakers are in search of solutions that strike a balance between protecting academic freedom and tapping into opportunities of cooperating with Chinese partners while strengthening knowledge security. This month’s guest: Ingrid d'Hooghe, Senior Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Clingendael China Centre, Clingendael, and Senior Fellow, Leiden Asia Centre, the Netherlands. Show notes How National Governments and Research Institutions Safeguard Knowledge Development in Science and Technology Towards Sustainable Europe-China Collaboration in Higher Education in Research Implications for Japan and the United States China’s BRI and International Collaboration in Higher Education and Research. A symbiotic Relationship

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many have tried to draw a parallel between Ukraine and Taiwan. While it is true that both countries are threatened by a great power in their immediate neighborhood, there are stark differences between their geographic positions as well as the larger geopolitical context. Despite significant differences between the two countries, there are a few lessons that can be learned from the conflict for the Taiwanese. Heightened tensions between China and Taiwan also have profound implications for Japan’s security environment and influence Sino-Japanese relations. Finally, the developments in the Taiwan Strait coupled with Sino-Russian partnership without limits also present an opportunity to explore new avenues for Japan-Europe security cooperation. This month’s guest: Tetsuo Kotani, professor, Meikai University and senior fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), Japan Show notes China’s Military and Paramilitary Activities in the East China Sea China and Russia in the Western Pacific Implications for Japan and the United States Japan to Upgrade Defense Ties with Taipei by Dispatching a MOD Official The New Taiwan Clause: Taiwan and the Security of Japan