Jeremy Garlick — 9DASHLINE

Best of 2023: China as a global actor

It was a busy year: the tenth anniversary of Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, the ongoing war in Ukraine and questions about China’s role therein, as well as the increasingly urgent Taiwan issue, are just a few examples of topics that have made it to the top of analysts’ and policymakers’ agendas in 2023.

We summarise some of our most-read pieces about China as a global actor, which also generated a lot of discussion and debate among our readers.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLJune 12, 20239DashLine, China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Central and Eastern Europe: stuttering to a halt?, Jeremy Garlick, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), China, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), One Belt One Road, Beijing, Russia, Western Europe, developing world, Global South, investment, Cold War, Soviet influence, Sino-Soviet split, communist regimes, 16+1 framework, 16+1, 16+1 summit, 14+1, 17+1, EU, trade, economy, trade routes, China-CEE cooperation, Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s invasion, Russia's aggression, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Taiwan, infrastructure, Western Balkans, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, China-CEE cooperation framework, Russia’s regional influence, Greece, high-speed railway, Belgrade, Budapest, EU regulations, Hungary, Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, Southeast Europe, port of Piraeus, trade chain, Suez Canal, trade volumes, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, bilateral deals, EU bureaucracy, highway, railway, Danube River, bridge, sewer system, power plants, energy infrastructure, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Central Asia, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Africa, EU accession, EU integration, creditor, Fudan University, ‘One China’ policy, United Nations, Xinjiang, connectivity, Eurosceptic, CEE countries, CEE region, regionalisation, CEE, Central and Eastern Europe, European Union

The prospects for China’s engagement in Afghanistan

Written by Jeremy Garlick

Beijing will look to ensure first and foremost that Uygur separatists do not gain support from the Taliban. In return, they will dangle some promises of investment for the sake of generating goodwill.