China’s Strategy Toward Central and Eastern Europe Within the Framework of 16 + 1 Group: The Case of Poland

Abstract

Since 2012, the 16 + 1 Group has served China to advance its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in co-operation with the Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). Poland is the largest of them in terms of demography and economy, and is geographically predestined to be a hub, with railways coming to Europe from the East across Russia and from the South via the Balkans. The economic reintegration of Eurasia under the BRI would elevate the CEECs on the chain of value and production. Nonetheless, for the time being the CEECs are not yet ready for a major geopolitical shift, such as a break-up from the European Union and some, like Poland, still strongly prefer to keep the Trans-Pacific alliance in place, which hinders Chinese projects that also involve Russia.