Garčević Explores Risks & Rewards of Balkans Deepening Relations with China
Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, appeared on BBC World News to discuss the risks and rewards of doing business with China.
In his remarks, Garčević noted that the Balkans face short-term benefits and long-term risks in deepening its relationship with Beijing as countries may become dependent on Chinese loans. In the same way that countries in the region have not spoken out in strong opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because of their ties to Russia, he postulated that the Balkans may employ a similar stance if China was to encroach on Taiwan due to their economic dependency. In discussing his concerns for the future, Garčević said that reliance on Chinese infrastructure projects and business practices risks undermining the goals of Balkan countries, which include European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership.
The full program can be viewed below. Garčević’s interview begins at the 4:38 mark.
During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He had been Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about Ambassador Garčević on his faculty profile.