Levels of Chinese investment in CEE have been overstated, often vastly so May 24, 2021 China’s economic influence in Central and Eastern Europe is often touted as a threat to the region’s independence and security. But just how big is that influence? A new study suggests it has been massively overstated. Since 2012, twelve EU members located in Central and Eastern Europe and the five non-EU states of the Western Balkans have participated in what is known as the “17+1″ mechanism, a Chinese initiative aimed at promoting business and investment relations between China and the 17 countries. How successful the initiative has been is difficult to gauge. While it can often appear that new Chinese investments are being announced every day, actual, hard data on how much money flows into the region from China is difficult to come by.