China’s growing sharp power and influence over Europe is beginning to receive closer scrutiny, thanks in large part to the work of researchers such as those at the Mercator Institute for Chinese Studies (MERICS) in Berlin and the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), notes China Digital Times, a partner of the National Endowment for Democracy:
MERICS and GPPi jointly wrote a report published in February titled, “Authoritarian advance: Responding to China’s growing political influence in Europe,” which looks at how the Chinese government’s efforts to influence European societies and politics are challenging European values and interests, and offers recommendations on how individuals and institutions can counter such efforts. China’s influence is especially apparent in Central and Eastern Europe, where it competes with E.U. funding for local projects.
