RE-DESIGNING WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES’ CHINA POLICIES

The project will contribute to develop comprehensive and coherent China policies in the Western Balkan (WB) countries, considering China’s increased presence and influence in the region and the potential risks it entails. The objective is to improve policy-making on China-related issues by assessing China’s impact on governance systems, enhancing policy-makers capacity to understand China and deliver evidence-based policy interventions, as well as strengthen their cooperation with civil society on China-related matters. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen transparency and oversight over Chinese activities through civic engagement and invigorated policy debate.

Project Activities:

· Regional workshop – Focus on executive branch; Focus on legislative branch

· Policy memos

· High-level briefings

· Collaborative workshops

· Mentoring/tailor-made support for MPs and parliamentary staff

· Advocacy meetings

· Short videos on China-related topics

· Media appearances

Results:

· Assess China’s impact on individual WB governance systems, environment, legislative process and ability to follow upon international and European commitments.

· Review the existing China-related policies and commitments in individual WB countries.

· Increase the capacity of local policy actors to negotiate and deal with Chinese counterparts in respect of their country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

· Strengthen the capacity of local policy actors to design policy interventions that take this strategic foreign policy direction into account.

· Encourage and enable civil society cooperation with policy makers, in order to channel their contribution towards informed and evidence-based policy making.

· Support civil society organizations to engage in monitoring and reporting on China related issues.

· Disseminate independent and state-of-the-art knowledge on China in order to invigorate a public debate on the need to develop appropriate China policies in the WB