China’s Growing Influence In Serbia And Greece

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MIKE POMPEO’S STATEMENT ON NEW COLD WAR

Pompeo called on countries around Europe to rally against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which he said leverages its economic might to exert its influence around the world.

Cooperation betweenChina and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEE, China-CEEC, also 17+1, formerly 16+1) is an initiative by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote business and investment relations between China and 17 countries of CEE (CEEC) –Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The format was founded in 2012in Budapest to push for cooperation of the “17+1” (the 17 CEE countries and China). The 17+1 meet annually; summits were held in Dubrovnik (2019), Sofia (2018), Budapest (2017), Riga (2016), Suzhou (2015), Belgrade (2014), Bucharest (2013) and Warsaw (2012). The China-CEE secretariat is in Beijing, with 17 “national coordinators” in each of the partner CEE countries.

17+1 collaboration has been successful so far
Only Poland has not started to distance itself from China and has joined U.S in their anti-China campaign
However, their stance can change in the future depending on the result of 2020 presidential election

Greece –China
Port of Piraeus -is the chief sea port of Athens, Greece, located on the Saronic Gulf on the western coasts of the Aegean Sea, the largest port in Greece and one of the largest in Europe.
As of 2020, the Port of Piraeus is majority owned by COSCO with 67% of shares
China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company

The Chinese see Piraeus as a gateway to EU markets, with a strategic role in Asia-European-African trade routes thanks to its close proximity to the Suez Canal.

Greece has also unnerved its Western allies in the past couple of years by obstructing EU plans to condemn China over issues like human rights and the law of the sea.
In 2017 it blocked an EU statement at the United Nations criticizing China’s human rights record. And last month, as EU members discussed countermeasures against China in response to the imposition of a national security law in Hong Kong, Athens was notable for resisting tough measures.

Covid19 pandemic has caused further strain on Greece’s economy
The one thing they need the most right now is investment
Since that investment is not going to come from U.S, Greece is looking at China for a massive economic booster package to combat the upcoming economic slump

While Serbia aspires to join the European Union, it has made a big swing towards China, the top economic and geo-political competitor of the EU and United States, to help develop its infrastructure, energy and tech sectors and to buy weaponry.

China has provided billions of euros in soft loans for infrastructure and energy development in Serbia. It is also pursuing its plan for a “digital silk road” -telecommunications connectivity -in which Serbia would be a key cog in Europe.