Insights in Public opinion

Engagement without Debate: Croatia's Relationship with China

PAID CONTENT

Croatia rarely features in debates about Chinese influence in Europe, and that near-absence is itself a very useful indicator about the bilateral relationship. The country has experienced a decade of substantial economic cooperation with Chinese state-owned firms without generating any apparent political closeness, public controversy, or foreign-policy hedging seen elsewhere in the region. While this could imply firm political stewardship, it also reveals cracks in the underlying structure:...

• Croatia, Infrastructure, Public opinion

China’s Image in Serbia: A Divided Public Behind a Strategic Partnership

PAID CONTENT

From the outside, Serbia appears to be moving closer to China. President Aleksandar Vučić’s recent visit to Beijing, his third in less than three years, reinforced the impression of a deepening strategic partnership. China’s growing economic footprint, political visibility, and public diplomacy efforts all suggest a country expanding its influence in the Western Balkans. Yet public opinion tells a more nuanced story. A new nationwide survey of over 1,700 respondents - originally collected by...

• Serbia, Public opinion, Polarization

China’s Image in Southeast Europe: Between Pragmatism and Suspicion

PAID CONTENT

Southeast Europe displays markedly more favourable views towards China than the rest of the continent. Public opinion across the region reveals a complex balance: China is viewed as both a partner in development and a source of strategic uncertainty, shaped by local politics, economics, and soft power tactics.

• Perceptions, Geopolitics, Public opinion