Following the November 2021 Honiara riots and the March 2022 leaking of the China–Solomon Islands security agreement, the CCP used propaganda and disinformation to push false narratives in an effort to shape the Solomon Islands public’s perception of security issues and foreign partners.

The Chinese Communist Party strives to cultivate cultural, political, and academic ties in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These efforts are more pronounced in the Republika Srpska, where the authorities tend to adopt a pro-Russian and anti-Western foreign policy stance.

Chinese influence in Serbia is spread through various means. The most conspicuous and successful tools have been economic cooperation between Serbia and China, activities of the Chinese embassy, bilateral visits, “mask and vaccine diplomacy,” and cooperation with Serbian media.

China’s objective is to build an influential pro-Beijing lobby and prevent Bulgaria from joining the group of China’s outspoken critics. In the absence of any substantial initiative as the 16/17+1 format peters out, old-style Chinese propaganda is unlikely to sway many Bulgarians.

North Macedonia is a member of several international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and NATO, where the vote of each country counts. Thus, China seeks to ensure North Macedonia’s friendship, or at least neutrality, on resolutions tabled by Western governments.

Through Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Leadership School, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allows foreign political parties to learn from its experience in governance and development while cultivating foreign partnerships that will advance CCP foreign policy goals.

China’s policies toward Slovakia have included protecting China’s core interests on issues such as Taiwan and Tibet; creating a positive image of China, Chinese foreign policy, and Sino-Slovak relations; and establishing links with political and business leaders to induce China-friendly policies.

China exerts influence in Montenegro through economic clout, primarily through huge debt for construction projects that will burden Montenegro for years. China’s investments in Montenegro benefit from a loophole that allows them to escape public scrutiny, competitive bidding, and national regulations.

China’s strategic objectives in Greece are to make the most of the country’s position in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative; win over Greek political, business, and academic leaders and ensure Athens’ backing of China; and exert influence over the EU through “friendly” member states.

For the Chinese Communist Party, gaining discourse power translates into increased geopolitical power by creating consensus around an alternative, China-led international order—one that privileges state sovereignty over civil liberties, and subordinates human rights to state security.

China has inserted itself into Albania’s economy and politics via major investments in air transportation, energy, agriculture, and mining, creating new avenues for leverage. Collaboration with key economic players and networks in turn creates dependencies through which China gains systematic influence.

Although the Hungarian government has supported Beijing on some controversial international issues, China does not proactively conduct systematic malign influence operations in Hungary. The rule and achievements of the CCP offer an attractive model to the ruling party and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

China’s attempts to project influence in Romania primarily target elites. Through Confucius Institutes, new generations of educated individuals are persuaded to focus on the economics of the Sino-Romanian relationship rather than the threat that the Chinese political model represents to democracy.

Beijing’s main strategic goals in the Czech Republic have been to weaken political support for Taiwan and to improve China’s image in the country, for example by fighting narratives depicting it as a human rights violator and as the source of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China’s malign influence in Croatia is limited compared with other countries in the region. As a member of the European Union, Croatia must align its foreign policy with that of Europe, particularly if EU relations with China continue to strain.