China’s emergence as a power in the Western Balkans over the last decade is among the most significant geopolitical developments in Europe. As an element of Beijing’s wide internationalisation efforts to expand its global footprint, the country has been working to improve its position in several key sectors, such as energy and infrastructure. Moreover, in the last few years we have witnessed both an expansion and a widening of activities that go beyond the economy and beyond interaction with state institutions. There is now greater Chinese engagement in culture, academia, education, media, and even with a range of political parties and local government. China is also developing a wider constituency of interested partners within the countries of the region, to enhance the influence it carries there. Moreover, the broader persistent geopolitical impasse in the Western Balkans – most significantly exemplified by the stalled EU accession process and the developmental gap with the rest of Europe – entails continued attempts by many external, non-Western actors to position and embed themselves in the region to pursue their long-term goals. These have included stronger positioning and influence by Beijing in key sectors, such as energy and infrastructure, as well as broader positioning in society and politics.
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