CEIAS: Central European Institute of Asian Studies

Echoes and resistance: China’s discourse power and public perceptions in Central Europe - CEIAS In recent years, Beijing has intensified its information operations abroad, including in the EU, under its goal to enhance the party-state's discourse power. The primary objective is to bolster China'...

📊 Explore the full survey results here: ceias.eu/echoes-and-r...

Polling Shows Central Europeans Remain Skeptical of China A look into public opinion results provides an interesting complement to government-level dynamics in four nations’ respective bilateral relations with Beijing.

📈 🇨🇳 Our public opinion results reveal marked contrasts between how citizens of Central Europe perceive China and how their governments engage with it.

Filip Šebok breaks down the findings for @thediplomat.com.

📄 Read the article: thediplomat.com/2025/07/poll...

📢 The new issue of EU-Taiwan Briefing is out!

Each month, we'll bring you key highlights from the EU-Taiwan Tracker, our comprehensive resource on relations between 🇹🇼 and 🇪🇺. Visit the tracker here: eutwtracker.ceias.eu/tracker

Read the full briefing ➡️ www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-tai...

Will EU lose out as SE Asia strikes trade deals with US? – DW – 07/28/2025 New trade deals between the US and key Southeast Asian economies are reshaping global commerce. While the EU could lose market share, it's also possible that these agreements end up bolstering Brussel...

The #trade deals of #Vietnam, #Philippines, and #Indonesia with the #US won't have a big impact on #Europe. However, some #EU companies may reconsider relocating their production base to #SoutheastAsia due to the US tariffs on these countries. dw.com/en/will-eu-l...
@ceias-eu.bsky.social

🇨🇳 Opinion polls show that China’s image in the V4 remains negative – but Chinese narratives are still adopted by domestic actors to further euroscepticism.

Find more from a great report by @ceias-eu.bsky.social and authors @matejsimalcik.bsky.social and @yehaoqin.bsky.social in our #WeeklyOutlook ⤵️

V Česku dva, na Slovensku žádný. Čína má ve střední Evropě svoje influencery, zaměřují se hlavně na nás Místo propagování politiky autoritářského režimu se influenceři Pekingu zaměřují na šíření pozitivních zpráv. Think-tank CEIAS varuje, že Česko je pro Čínu ve střední Evropě hlavním cílem.

🇨🇳 Peking má několik způsobů, jak ovlivňovat mínění ve střední Evropě. Jedním z nich je obsah vládou placených influencerů, který například ukazuje propagandou schválený pohled na dění v provincii Sin-ťiang, píše se v nové studii @ceias-eu.bsky.social.

Víc na @irozhlas.cz

🔗 irozhl.as/wpJ

Filip Šebok, Veronika Blablová, @hompotchinastudies.bsky.social, @yehaoqin.bsky.social‬, Joanna Nawrotkiewicz, Kara Němečková, @matejsimalcik.bsky.social, @rvancel.bsky.social

🧵3:

This paper is published as part of the project “Investigating China-related narratives in the Central European information space” that CEIAS is implementing in cooperation w/ Matej Bel University, supported by the European Media & Information Fund managed by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

🧵2:

THE STUDY INCLUDES:

➡️ Mapping of Chinese state-linked social media activity in the V4
➡️ Role of influencers and media consumption patterns
➡️ Local responses to narratives on China’s foreign policy, Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine

Echoes and resistance: China’s discourse power and public perceptions in Central Europe - CEIAS In recent years, Beijing has intensified its information operations abroad, including in the EU, under its goal to enhance the party-state's discourse power. The primary objective is to bolster China'...

📢 NEW RESEARCH OUT NOW!

Our new paper 📄 presents a first in-depth exploration of narratives about China 🇨🇳 in Central Europe that links the polling of public opinion 📊 with a systematic analysis of social media. 📱

🔗 Access the full report: ceias.eu/echoes-and-r...

🧵👇

EU-China relations ahead of tomorrow’s summit 🧐

🇪🇺🇨🇳 The long-awaited 2025 summit kicks off this Thursday, July 24. What to expect? We break it down in the latest CEEasia Briefing.

Don’t miss our analysis! 👇
ceias.eu/ceeasia-brie...

Azerbaijan: Advancing robust educational ties with China - CEIAS Among the South Caucasus countries, Azerbaijan stands out for its steadily growing educational ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Baku actively emphasizes the importance of strengthening ...

🇦🇿🇨🇳 From bilateral agreements to Confucius Institutes and Huawei-supported talent development program – Azerbaijan is advancing robust educational ties with China. But at what cost? Our partner Aksana Akhmedova breaks it down in the detailed analysis 👇

📝 Full analysis: ceias.eu/azerbaijan-a...

AZERBAIJAN–CHINA ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 🎓

➡️ 167 identified ties with 🇨🇳 entities
➡️ 28.6% classified as High or Very High risk
➡️ 57% are university-to-university partnerships
➡️ Key partners include Confucius Institutes & Huawei

📊 Explore the data: academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/Azerb...

China-Europe Academic Engagement Tracker A database of interactions between European academic institutions and Chinese entities. It was created by CEIAS and partners from investigated countries.

These findings highlight China’s growing presence in Armenia’s schools and academic institutions 🇨🇳🇦🇲.

Our project partner Aksana Akhmedova tracks this trend and breaks it down in a detailed analysis.

📝Read the full analysis here: academytracker.ceias.eu/articles/2A1...

ARMENIA–CHINA ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 🎓

🔸 37 identified ties between 🇦🇲 & 🇨🇳
🔸 66% linked to medium-risk Chinese institutions
🔸 16% linked to high-risk institutions

📊 Explore the interactive data in our Academic Tracker: academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/Armenia

We're proud to share that our @rturcsanyi.bsky.social is among the contributing experts to the latest @csds.bsky.social In-Depth Paper 👉 “Europe’s Eyes on Taiwan: Strategic Ties, Different Perspectives” by ‪@giuter.bsky.social‬ and Laia Comerma. 🇪🇺 🇹🇼

Myanmar junta's Rohingya Return Initiative is nothing more than a strategic pretense - CEIAS In early 2025, Myanmar’s military junta announced a new Rohingya Repatriation Program, claiming it would facilitate the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh foll...

Rohingya in Myanmar 🇲🇲

What does Myanmar’s military junta 🪖 really aim to achieve with its new Rohingya Repatriation Program? In our latest article, Monika Verma argues this initiative is nothing more than a strategic pretense.

Read more here: ceias.eu/myanmar-junt...

Italy: Transparency gap and collaborations under scrutiny - CEIAS In recent years, European member states have begun to view China as a multifaceted actor. Italy is no exception. Current debates on economic security have prompted Rome to adjust its policy instrument...

🔍 Our project partners @margheritacapacci.bsky.social & ‪@softurati.bsky.social‬ found that while academic ties between Italy & China 🇮🇹🇨🇳are strong and diverse, a lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess potential research security risks.

Read the full analysis 👉 ceias.eu/italy-transp...

ITALY–CHINA ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 🎓

📊 758 identified ties between 🇮🇹 & 🇨🇳
⚠️ 45.6% classified as High or Very High risk
📍 1st Confucius Institute in Europe opened in Italy in 2005
🏫 12 Confucius Institutes operate today

Explore the data here: academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/Italy

📢 The new issue of CEEasia Briefing is out!

This month’s highlights include:

1️⃣ EU-China ties ahead of July summit 🇪🇺🇨🇳
2️⃣ South Korea-Czechia nuclear deal 🇰🇷⚛️
3️⃣ China's plot against Taiwan's VP in Czechia 🇹🇼💥

Read the full briefing here ➡️ www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceeasi...

Quest for Strategic Autonomy? Europe Grapples with the US - China Rivalry Europe recalibrates its global stance, seeking strategic autonomy in response to the US’s unpredictability and China’s growing influence.

📢 The 2025 #ETNC report is out! This edition analyses the evolution of Europe’s relations with Washington and Bejing and how different approaches towards the US-China rivalry are expected to evolve.
🔎 Coord. with @ifri.bsky.social @merics.bsky.social
www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/monograph...

Slovenia: Leaning towards a gradual and selective academic cooperation with China - CEIAS Slovenia’s higher education and research system comprises public and private institutions. Slovenia has four public universities: the University of Ljubljana, the University of Maribor, the University...

🇸🇮 Slovenia’s academic engagement with China 🇨🇳 is seen as gradual and selective, our project partner @tinkarag breaks down the data in a full analysis 👇

📝 Read the full analysis here ceias.eu/slovenia-lea...

SLOVENIA–CHINA ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 🎓

🔍 154 identified ties between Slovenian & Chinese universities/research institutes
🔬 Key areas: materials science, biotech, agriculture, AI

What are the most active entities? 🏫 Explore our data 👉 academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/Slove...

✍️ Tinkara Godec

The tool was developed with the support of the International Visegrad Fund

🇨🇳 🚛 Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD announced plans to invest €76.8 million in Komarom, Hungary, increasing the existing facilities capacity to 1,250 electric buses and trucks. ⚡🔋

🔗 Explore more in our Central Europe–East Asia EV Nexus Tracker: evnexustracker.ceias.eu/map

Greece: The overlooked risks of academic cooperation with China - CEIAS Between 2010 and 2020, Greece experienced a deep fiscal crisis that placed considerable strain on its economic and political relationship with the EU. In contrast, during the same period, relations be...

Our new findings reveal the overlooked risks in academic partnerships between Greek and Chinese institutions. 🇨🇳🇬🇷
Project partners Konstantinos Tsimonis and Ioanna Nestoridi delve into the implications of these connections in their latest analysis.

📝 ceias.eu/greece-the-o...

GREECE–CHINA ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 🎓

📌 27 🇬🇷 institutions involved
📌 135+ formal partnerships with 🇨🇳 counterparts
📌 33 partnerships classified as High or Very High risk (PLA-linked universities)

✍️ Konstantinos Tsimonis & Ioanna Nestoridi

Data 👉 academytracker.ceias.eu/map/eu/Greece

Hydrogen horizons: Austria and Indonesia’s green energy potential - CEIAS The Austrian government has established its Hydrogen Strategy, which stresses the importance of international partnerships. Indonesia, with its untapped hydrogen resources, should see this as an oppor...

Austria’s Hydrogen Strategy emphasizes international partnerships. Indonesia 🇮🇩, with its untapped hydrogen resources, should seize this opportunity to attract 🇦🇹 FDI and boost its path to a green economy, argues Dewa Gede Sidan Raeskyesa.

More here 👇
ceias.eu/hydrogen-hor...

Value-driven economic and military decision-making: South Korea’s arms exports to the EU and NATO - CEIAS Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, rising strategic uncertainties in Europe have prompted EU and NATO member states to break away from post-Cold War policies that favored maint...

Given current developments, our paper examining South Korea’s 🇰🇷 arms exports to the #EU and NATO is particularly relevant.

📄 Find out more here: ceias.eu/value-driven...

@matejsimalcik.bsky.social is currently attending the NATO Public Forum in The Hague –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a conference held alongside the #NATOSummit.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte opened the forum w/ a strong call to enhance the Alliance’s defense capabilities & resilience in light of threats from 🇷🇺 & 🇨🇳.