China’s “Hub-and-Spoke” Strategy in the Balkans

As China’s funding for infrastructure and other investments expands along its Belt and Road Initiative, its economic and political influence is growing in the Western Balkans, a strategically contested area on the EU’s periphery. This report, part of a two-year effort to track Chinese economic influence in the region, draws from a new CSIS dataset to identify key trends, including China’s geographic and sectoral priorities, low project completion rates, and an emerging second wave of digital investments.

Please cite this data as: Reconnecting Asia Project, “Chinese Economic Activities in The Western Balkans Dataset,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, April 2020, https://reconasia.csis.org/analysis/entries/chinas-hub-and-spoke-strategy-balkans/.