Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the Countries of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe

Abstract

This research analyses the results of the Belt and Road Initiative in 17 Central, Eastern, and Southeastern European countries that signed the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Initiative. The subject of the research is the extent to which the initiative would provide benefits for the growth and development of these countries. Special attention will be paid to the link between infrastructure development and FDI, and whether environmental standards are taken into account in the projects belonging to the domain of the Initiative. The authors analyse which areas of economy belong to Chinese investments in the selected countries, and whether the countries have taken into account strategically important investments for the society and the country's economy. One of the goals of the research will be whether in the previous period the countries regularly settled their debts to China and how the COVID-19 crisis has had an impact on debt repayment.