To connect or not to connect? : Responding to the Digital Silk Road in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

As China has launched the Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiative, the focus of Chinese overseas activities has subsequently been complemented by the global expansion of Chinese technology companies. While the vast majority of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries share the concerns as regards the economic, security and technology challenge China poses to Europe, a few countries seem to have different approaches to the question of whether and to what extent Chinese technology companies are to be involved in CEE’s digital transformation. The paper offers a comprehensive mapping of responses to the DSR challenge China poses in the CEE region, with the aim of analysing how these responses differ and why. To explain the different responses, four hypotheses are formulated and evaluated, taking into account regional, global and national factors. Based on five illustrative examples, the paper concludes by confirming these hypotheses only for those countries opposing Chinese tech involvement.