CHOICE is an independent platform for monitoring & evaluating the influence of China in the CEE region. Designed and run by the Association for International Affairs (AMO). #ChinaObservershttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.euhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3ml6wvs2yic24📬 Subscribe to CHOICE newsletter to learn about opportunities for EU and South East Asian cooperation 👉 https://amo.ecomailapp.cz/public/form/15-864b4f4872272bdd94aadbc81dfd8b1806 May 2026 14:45 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6wvs2yic24https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3ml6dhjlokk27💰Danylo Stonis shows how #sanctions and structural barriers are testing the limits of the China-Belarus trade partnership. 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/china-belarus-trade-relations-mismatched-expectations-same-challenges/ Key takeaways👇06 May 2026 08:57 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6dhjlokk27https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mkz6zrtnys2h❓What does it mean to leave a country, but not its reach? Asks Chu Yang asks in her latest CHOICE Long Read, where she explores how digital connectivity reshapes the lived experiences of Chinese #diaspora communities in #Europe. 👇 https://chinaobservers.eu/homeland-in-your-pocket-the-long-arm-of-the-state-and-the-information-strategies-in-the-age-of-control/04 May 2026 07:55 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkz6zrtnys2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mkmuvbns4c2gHow is China impacting Europe locally? Giulia Busnardo explores how this Tuscan city became a high-stakes test for #EU internal security. 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/prato-as-an-eu-internal-neighborhood-chinas-local-presence-and-urban-governance/29 Apr 2026 10:21 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmuvbns4c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mkhsnugvfs2t🤺Europe is waking up to the #FIMI challenge. While Russia remains the main disruptor, Konrad Szatters warns that #China is playing a different, more sophisticated game. 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/europes-awakening-to-the-fimi-challenge-how-the-eu-can-counter-foreign-manipulation-and-interference-threats/ Key insights 👇27 Apr 2026 09:58 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkhsnugvfs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mkava7j5ik26🎧Listen to our new #podcast episode on #Chinamaxxing! @emma-belmonte.bsky.social had a very captivating conversation with @zeyiyang.bsky.social from @wired.com and Jessica Imbach about the recent surge in interest in Chinese culture on social media, its implications & the response from Bejing.📱24 Apr 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkava7j5ik26https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mk5oktk5qs2x📢A new episode of our #podcast comes out tomorrow! Emma Belmonte explores the #Chinamaxxing trend, its origins, societal reactions, and implications for cultural perception and soft power with @zeyiyang.bsky.social and Jessica Imbach. Here is a preview... 👇23 Apr 2026 09:18 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk5oktk5qs2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mk3aaamtac2hIs the "special relationship" between #Hungary and #China cooling down? Agnes Szunomar explains all about the expected post-election shift from a politically-driven partnership toward a "pragmatic recalibration." 🔎Read more: https://chinaobservers.eu/hungary-china-relations-after-the-elections-a-pragmatic-recalibration/ Key takeaways 👇22 Apr 2026 09:56 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3aaamtac2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mjz2kya5j22v🧾CHOICE team was pleased to provide a briefing to EU Commissioner @andriuskubilius.ec.europa.eu on current developments in China-Russia relations. Many thanks for giving this topic the space it deserves.21 Apr 2026 13:09 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjz2kya5j22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mjw5si4qjc2j@mariehiliquin.bsky.social explores China’s sophisticated "dual-track" strategy in the EU. Beijing simultaneously engages: 🫀EU’s regulatory heart in Brussels 🦵its national limbs across Europe Read how this challenges the EU 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/the-heart-and-the-limbs-chinas-twin-track-strategy-in-brussels/20 Apr 2026 09:29 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjw5si4qjc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mjjib64aps2hChina is positioning itself as a defender of global governance, but is it really offering an alternative world order?🌍 @emma-belmonte.bsky.social writes that Beijing’s vision is less about replacing the system and more about reshaping it from within. 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/addressing-global-chaos-is-chinas-alternative-world-order-really-alternative/15 Apr 2026 08:32 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjjib64aps2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mjeotaojnk2k🚀 #China is rapidly emerging as a major #space power, expanding its ambitions even to CEE. As Krzysztof Karwowski shows, space cooperation is no longer just about science, it is increasingly tied to #Security ,#Infrastructure, and #Data. 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/dragon-stars-above-us-chinese-space-cooperation-and-diplomacy-in-cee/13 Apr 2026 10:46 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjeotaojnk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mj53fyeygk2k🗳️ Hungarians caste their votes on Sunday, and you are wondering how the outcome could reshape Hungary’s approach to #China and #Taiwan? Our special #election monitor edition by Réka Koleszár answers all your questions👇 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/orban-or-the-opposition-hungarys-election-and-the-future-of-its-china-taiwan-calculus/10 Apr 2026 10:10 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj53fyeygk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3miy2kucl3s2nOr are you asking what is a Chinese era?🤔 Our new article by Paulína Ovečková dives into this latest social media trend called #Chinamaxxing, where China is surprisingly having a viral moment. Find out all about it👉🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/the-chinese-era-how-young-peoples-views-of-china-changed/08 Apr 2026 10:12 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3miy2kucl3s2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mivoumihic26📱Stephanie Niedenhoff writes that recent developments in Russia point to a shift toward a more controlled, state-centric digital ecosystem with similarities to China's digital space. Read the full article 👉 https://chinaobservers.eu/the-chinese-russian-digital-iron-curtain/07 Apr 2026 11:37 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mivoumihic26https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3migmhjppgk2e📩Subscribe to CHOICE newsletter and get insights on the evolving CEE-China policy by regional experts in your email tomorrow! Subscribe here👇 https://amo.ecomailapp.cz/public/form/15-864b4f4872272bdd94aadbc81dfd8b1801 Apr 2026 11:44 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3migmhjppgk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3migf3235sk2j🍃What happens when distance between home and abroad disappears? In the second part of our #CHOICELongReads series, Chu Yang shows how WeChat📲 shapes everyday life of the #ChineseDiaspora across #Europe. 🔗Read the personal experience of Chu Yang 👇 https://chinaobservers.eu/homeland-in-your-pocket-the-digital-bridge/01 Apr 2026 09:32 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3migf3235sk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3miboqjs7sk2u📢We’re pleased to welcome a new colleague, @sensehofstede.nl, the new Head of our Brussels Office & China Analyst!🥳 🔗To mark Sense's arrival, we’re excited to share his analysis for CHOICE today: https://chinaobservers.eu/chinas-major-country-diplomacy-leaves-no-room-for-european-characteristics/ More about Sense & his article👇🧵30 Mar 2026 12:41 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3miboqjs7sk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhzzg2iacs26🗣️What narratives do China’s FIMI activities push in Europe? 🤔 Listen to the new episode of China Observers podcast to find out! 🎧 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/chinas-foreign-information-manipulation-and-influence-fimi-in-europe/27 Mar 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhzzg2iacs26https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhxbebfsjk25🎙️New episode of China Observers is out tomorrow! This time, @abachulska.bsky.social & Konrad Szatters spoke to @emma-belmonte.bsky.social about Chinese FIMI in Europe - how it works and what we can do about it. 🤔26 Mar 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxbebfsjk25https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhuyhv33422gToday at CHOICE, Konrad Szatters shows that instead of overt propaganda, Beijing increasingly relies on local voices, republished content, and narratives that blend into domestic debates. 🧠25 Mar 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhuyhv33422ghttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhpyqpl4722v✍️Alexei Hoffman writes that Serbia faces a trilemma where it cannot fully achieve all three goals at once: ❓ Keep Chinese investment (which powers key industries) ❓Align with EU climate rules (needed for accession) ❓Stay competitive in exports (especially steel)23 Mar 2026 11:53 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhpyqpl4722vhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhdbzb6fis2q⚖️ #China - #Belarus cooperation is evolving under sanctions. Kateryna Zelenska argues that the partnership is driven by political alignment rather than market liberalization. Key takeaways & link👇18 Mar 2026 10:34 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhdbzb6fis2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mhbdlr3cs22r🎙️Looking for a podcast that sums up Europe-China relations in 2026?👀You found it! Listen to this episode of China Observers, where Etienne Soula speaks to our host Emma Belmonte. 🎧 https://chinaobservers.eu/unpacking-eu-china-relations-in-2026/17 Mar 2026 15:57 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhbdlr3cs22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mharpxkyfk2oBig moment today! 🗣️Our lead @ivanakaraskova.bsky.social spoke at Taiwan's Yushan Forum 2026 alongside top government officials and policy experts. Her focus: the dangerous overlap between Chinese and Russian disinformation, what it means for Taiwan, and how to push back.17 Mar 2026 10:37 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mharpxkyfk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mh6c7kwjzk2a🛢️What would a Middle East oil and LNG crisis mean for #China and #EastAsia? New analysis by Joseph Webster, Reid I'Anson & Kevin Li explores how energy shocks could reshape regional dynamics.👇 🔗 https://chinaobservers.eu/what-a-middle-east-oil-and-lng-crisis-means-for-china-and-east-asia/ 📖Originally published by Atlantic Council.16 Mar 2026 10:54 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh6c7kwjzk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mgwqwldjjk24🌍Last week, experts from across Central Europe, the Western Balkans, and the Baltics gathered in Vilnius to tackle a growing challenge: Chinese foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) in Europe. Key takeaways from the workshop: https://chinaobservers.eu/sino-russian-cooperation-in-spreading-disinformation-implications-for-europe/13 Mar 2026 10:56 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgwqwldjjk24https://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mgu64anh222j🚨New paper out!🚨China's influence operations in Europe have quietly evolved — and the tactics are more sophisticated than most people realise. @abachulska.bsky.social (@ecfr.eu) @ivanakaraskova.bsky.social & Konrad Szatters map Beijing's emerging playbook👇12 Mar 2026 10:14 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgu64anh222jhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mgrtl3nhac2r🌍How is #China expanding its influence in the #WesternBalkans? A new article by Marko Lončar looks at Beijing’s growing role in #BosniaAndHerzegovina. 🔗Read more: https://chinaobservers.eu/chinas-multi-vector-engagement-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina/ 👇Highlights11 Mar 2026 12:00 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgrtl3nhac2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/chinaobservers.eu/post/3mgn5ukjo7k2o💡New paper on China's influencing toolbox in Europe is out! [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Mar 2026 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:wjvbgxkvlkly5xbucedek5ve/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgn5ukjo7k2o