Polish President Duda Visits China

Will the once dormant China-CEE relations see a rival led by Poland and Slovakia?

21 June 2024

Alicja Bachulska and Matej Šimalčík

Starting on Saturday 22 June, President Andrzej Duda of Poland will be paying a five-day state visit to China. While Duda meets his “old friend” Xi Jinping, several warning signs are pointing to a potential re-awakening of China’s cooperation with the broader CEE region under the 14+1 framework.

The 16+1 (or 14+1 to be precise) format for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been long deemed a “zombie initiative” – one that failed to deliver on its economic promises and capitalise on the political goodwill of all parties involved.

Although over a decade ago, when the format was first established, China seemed convincing to local elites in its efforts to promote the idea of “win-win cooperation” – Beijing’s preferred slogan used extensively when reaching out to CEE – the momentum was lost by the end of the past decade.

However, China’s handling of the pandemic, the accelerating Sino-American rivalry, and, most recently, Beijing’s tacit approval for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, have significantly worsened China’s image in many CEE states. This has also translated into the 16+1 platform becoming politically impotent, with three Baltic states abandoning the initiative, and others unwilling to host its annual summits and other related events.

Subscribe

Democratic security comes at a price. What is yours? By subscribing or donating now gain access to analysis, forecasts and scenarios by leading analysts and reporters who monitor democratic risks and develop policy debate from Central Europe on Central Europe.

MonthlyVAT included

€4/month

See all details

  • Full access to articles and all reports in PDF
  • Weekly outlook on democratic security in CEE delivered by e-mail
  • Weekly newsletter with essential highlights
  • Invitations to all Visegrad Insight events online and offline

AnnualVAT included

€40/year

See all details

  • Individual subscribers only. Check our CORPORATE OFFER below
  • 15% Discount (8 EUR off monthly cost if paid annually)
  • Full access to articles and all reports in PDF
  • Weekly outlook on democratic security in CEE delivered by e-mail
  • Weekly newsletter with essential highlights
  • Invitations to all Visegrad Insight events online and offline

Student OR Donation

Choose your contribution

See all details

  • Full access to articles and all reports in PDF
  • Weekly newsletter with essential highlights
  • Some Visegrad Insight events invitations

I am a representative of an institution/business. Is there a corporate offer?

The annual subscription for up to ten institutional users: EUR 999
GO TO CHECKOUT

For a tailor-made offer email us: contact@visegradinsight.eu 

  • Access to all articles for your team
  • Access to all Reports for your team
  • Every Monday a Weekly Outlook with an update on key developments in Central Europe delivered by e-mail
  • Every Thursday a newsletter with the most important highlights and invitations
  • Personal invitations to Visegrad Insight Events
  • Foresight, policy, and risk analysis reports (on-demand)

Intelligence prepared by a group of Visegrad Insight Fellows from all across

Can I receive an invoice?

Yes. You will receive a receipt immediately after purchase and a VAT invoice upon request. The subscription amount includes tax. In case of a donation, there is no tax.

Are my credit card details safe?

Yes. The payment is processed by STRIPE www.stripe.com entrusted also by Amazon, Zoom, Booking.com and used by other global NGOs and businesses in the world. We do not store your credit card details.

How modify or cancel my subscription?

At any moment you can manage your subscription and account details. Sign in to modify or cancel.

Newsletter

Weekly updates with our latest articles and the editorial commentary.