A two-day seminar “Corporate China in Western Balkans” was organized by Cooperation and Development Institute in partnership with Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung and Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft e.V. gathered in Tirana high level experts, researchers and practitioners from EU, Western Balkans and China. The event offered for the first time a multidimensional view of Chinese investments in the region.
The main conclusions included better project identification, clearer rules of engagement, regional coordination approach, exchange of experiences amongst Balkan countries, strengthening of WB6 institutional capacities, participation in “3rd Party Market Cooperation” mechanisms, more and better communication, and greater attention to the language and discourse of each partner.
While China’s is filling an investment gap in the Balkans contributing to local growth and employment, WB6 actors should possess a clear blueprint of their investment needs, a realistic assessment of their institutional capacities, and improve their regional cooperation.
EU should include the region in its EU-China Strategy.
A win-win-win approach requires intense communication, regular and structured exchanges, and empathy.
The debates were held under Chatham House rules.
A paper containing the contribution of participants and more detailed conclusions will be produced and published later on.
Consult the seminar agenda here.
