The case of Chinese and Balkan Innovation Cooperation
Main Article Content
Abstract
The study starts with an overview of China’s involvement in developing open cross-national innovation ecosystems in the Balkans, emphasising the differences between EU member- states in the Balkan peninsula and EU member-states elsewhere. We then analyse current international economic and political conditions that influence the prospects for bilateral innovation collaboration schemes between China and Balkan countries; this highlights the opportunities and obstacles of an increased cooperation in specific regions and industries, challenges stemming from the cross-national nature of such collaboration and other considerations. In the final section, we present the paper’s conclusions and policy recommendations for sustainable models of cooperation.
Article Details
Issue
Section
I hereby assign to the Association of South Eastern Europe Economic Universities (ASECU) the copyright in the article present and future. In particular, this provides ASECU with the exclusive right to reproduce and/or distribute the article (including the abstract) throughout the world in printed, electronic or any other medium now known and hereinafter invented, and in turn to authorize third parties to do the same. Furthermore, I agree that ASECU may publish the article in the above journal, and sell or distribute it within the journal, on its own, or with other related material. These rights are assigned for the full legal term of copyright.
If the said article has been written in the course of my employment, and with the express authority of my employers, I hereby assign to ASECU the copyright in the article present and future. In particular, this provides ASECU with the exclusive right to reproduce and/or distribute the article (including the abstract) throughout the world in printed, electronic or any other medium now known and hereinafter invented, and in turn to authorize third parties to do the same. Furthermore, I agree that ASECU may publish the article in the above journal and sell or distribute it within the journal, on its own, or with other related material. These rights are assigned for the full legal term of copyright.
Notes on Dissemination and Reprints: Licensing of publication rights to one central organization will ensure the widest possible dissemination of the work. It will allow requests by third parties to be handled efficiently and consistently. All requests to reprint the work, in part or full, will be subject to your approval (which we will assume is given if we have not heard from you within four weeks of your approval being sought).
References
Beyond Emerging Europe, Huawei backs development of AI platform in Serbia, https://emerging-europe.com/huawei-backs-development-of-ai-platform-in-serbia/
Bulgarian News Agency: Bulgaria and China to Advance Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation. https://www.bta.bg/en/news/economy//996385-bulgaria-and-china-to-advance-science-technology-and-innovation-cooperation
CGTN – Breaking News, China News, World News and Videos, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to North Macedonia on deepening bilateral cooperation and shared development, https://news.
cgtn.com/news/2025-12-28/Chinese-Ambassador-to-North-Macedonia-on-deepening-bilateral-ties-1Js6TdYZJ5u/p.html
China Europe Academic Engagement Tracker, https://academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/
Ćosović Stefan and Andrea Zubović-Devedžić, 2025, 5G regulation and law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Future Facing Law, https://cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/cms-expert-guide-to-5g-
regulation-and-law/bosnia-and-herzegovina
Croatian Roads chief hails start of major road project undertaken by China’s CRBC, 2024, https://english.news.cn/20240227/bd22e5f0af4d462e9cf8ac6ffe5abc6e/c.html
Evans James Gethyn, 2021, Cold War Bedfellows: The Forging of the Sino-Albanian Alliance in the 1960s, Wilson Center, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/cold-war-bedfellows-forging-sino-albanian-alliance-1960s
Filipova Rumena, https://academytracker.ceias.eu/articles/2g28FMwxCHaHLZ59kBlPfb, Institute for Global Analytics
Higgins Andrew, 2021, A Pricey Drive Down Montenegro’s Highway ‘From Nowhere to Nowhere’, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/world/europe/montenegro-highway-china.html, New York Times
International Poverty Reduction Center in China, https://www.iprcc.org/article/4Hn40J05kV8
Kandilarov Evgeniy, “The first half of 2025 Marks a Significant Positive Trend in Bulgaria – China Relations”, China-CEE Institute, Monthly Briefing, Vol. 7. No. 4 (BG) July 2025.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China concerning promoting joint development of the Silk Road Economic Belt under the framework of China-Macedonia Joint Economic Committee.
People’s Daily Online, 2025, https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0524/c90000-20319328.html
People’s Daily Online, 2022, https://en.people.cn/n3/2022/0728/c90000-10128382.html
Rogers David, 2023, China to finance and build highway in Bosnia and Herzegovina, https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/china-to-finance-and-build-highway-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina/
Serbia Business News, 2025, https://serbia-business.eu/chinese-companies-dominate-major-infrastructure-projects-in-serbia-analyzing-the-key-contractors/
The Government of the Republic of Serbia, 2025, Further enhancement of Serbia–China scientific, technological cooperation, https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/en/263461/further-enhancement-of-serbiachina-scientific-technological-cooperation.php?
Vladisavljev Stefan, 2026, Has the China Free Trade Agreement Paid Off for Serbia? https://chinaobservers.eu/has-the-china-free-trade-agreement-paid-off-for-serbia/
Zweers Wouter, Vladimir Shopov, Frans-Paul van del Puten, Mirela Petkova, and Marteen Lemstra, 2020, China and the EU in the Western Balkans. A Zero-Sum Game?, https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/china-and-the-eu-in-the-western-balkans.pdf, Netherland Institute of International Relations