The overarching Chinese diplomatic strategy in Central Europe has been concisely characterized as a game of “sticks and carrots”.
However, the extent to which either end of this dualistic strategy are utilized varies across the region. Offering insight into the dynamic, MapInfluenCE founder Dr. Ivana Karaskova joined the Visegrad Insight Podcast to explain her view of current Chinese policy.
“China doesn’t use a one-size-fits-all approach, it is tailoring the approach to every [V4] country,” Karaskova commented. “But the sticks are rather short. There is not so much China can do to hit back when these countries start behaving in an ‘anti-China’ fashion…there is not so much that China can actually do if Central and Eastern European countries decide to be more proactive and exercise more agency in their relationship with China.”
To hear more from Karaskova on Chinese influence peddling, prescriptions for policy reactions across Central Europe, and upcoming research projects from MapInfluence, the full interview is available here.
