The Historical Development of China-Balkan Relations

• In Event: Institutionalization and Thematization of China-Balkan Relations Research

Abstract

Although “China-Balkan relations” had been at the periphery of global historical research due to limited or non-existent direct pre-modern links, this topic has garnered increasing interest in recent years. As communism crumbled in the Balkans, leading to Yugoslavia’s dissolution wars, the European Union and NATO’s eastward expansion, and China’s China-CEEC Europe (SEE) cooperation mechanism (formerly known as “China+16”) and Belt and Road Initiative, China’s relations with Balkan countries entered a new phase, gaining regional and global significance. This paper will provide a concise overview of China-Balkan relations, outline the different “stages” of these relations, and define the main characteristics of each stage, laying the groundwork for further discussions by the other presenters.

Author

• Zvonimir Stopic, Capital Normal U (China)