Central and Eastern Europe and the Future of the European China Debate

China represents a major international challenge with direct implications for European security and prosperity. Nevertheless, political debates in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) on the future EU-China relationship remain simplistic. There is a lack of effective connection between China experts in the region and the wider European community, limiting the influence of local analyses on European Union policymaking and public debate.

The project aims to connect the China-focused expert and policy community in CEE and integrate their unique regional perspectives into Western European and EU-wide China debates. Built on the principle “in the region, for the region,” it is led by the team of Chinese projects at AMO, ECFR experts in Warsaw and Sofia and the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Warsaw.

Key activities include producing policy briefs on critical issues of Chinese policy, such as the impact of Beijing’s industrial policy on European competitiveness, rising securitization, and strategic ties with Moscow and Chinese propaganda and disinformation techniques. The project fosters connections between CEE and Western European China experts through meetings, sharing analyses, and discussions at conferences and other events, including Brussels-based events. It also emphasizes media engagement, collaboration with journalists, and active social media presence in local languages and English to disseminate results and raise awareness of China’s challenges for Europe.

The project is implemented by the China Team at AMO, ECFR, and OSW with financial support from Stiftung Mercator. The project runs from September 2024 to September 2026.