New analysis on Chinese FDI in the Western Balkans by Branimir Jovanović
In an article titled “What’s Driving Chinese FDI in the Western Balkans – and What Should Be Done About It?” Branimir Jovanović (Economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW) & WIIW Team Leader in the GEO-POWER-EU Consortium) offers a timely analysis of China’s growing economic footprint in the Western Balkans, based on insights from the GEO-POWER-EU Interdependence Database.
The article traces the sharp rise of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region, particularly its concentration in Serbia and contrasts it with the still-dominant role of EU investors. It examines the economic and political motivations behind China’s expanding presence, including its Belt and Road Initiative, while also exploring why Western Balkan governments are increasingly receptive to Chinese capital.
🔗 Read the full article on WIIW.
📊 This analysis draws on the GEOPOWER EU Interdependence Database, which tracks the evolution of political, economic, security, and societal ties between nine countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions and five major external actors: the EU, US, China, Russia, and Turkey. To explore the database, click here.
*Featured image: Financial Times