Paul van der Putten

The Western Balkans have become China's preferred access point to the EU, and a corridor to Europe's north from the Greek port of Piraeus is being financed by Beijing. But Brussels fears EU rules will not be respected, while in northern countries, big ports resent the competition, EurActiv.com reports.

China's One Belt, One Road initiative, which involves Beijing underwriting billions of dollars of infrastructure investment in countries along the old Silk Road linking it with Europe, has the potential to transform the Black Sea region in terms of development and economic integration barring geopolitical competition between the big powers in the area, Frans Paul van der Putten, a senior resear