China’s 'Hub-and-Spoke' Strategy in the Balkans

As China’s funding for infrastructure and other investments expands along its Belt and Road Initiative, its economic and political influence is growing in the Western Balkans, a strategically contested area on the European Union's periphery. This report, part of a two-year effort to track Chinese economic influence in the region, draws from a new CSIS dataset to identify key trends, including China's geographic and sectoral priorities, low project completion rates, and an emerging second wave of digital investments.

This report was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.