for their constant support, patience and encouragement in the long process of finalising the diss... more for their constant support, patience and encouragement in the long process of finalising the dissertation. Furthermore, I would like to thank my parents and family for their help in achieving this step of my professional development. Thank you all! within the EU?, Brussels: European Institute for Asian Studies.
A Nyugat és Kína között húzódó politikai és gazdasági törésvonalat minden korábbinál jobban elmél... more A Nyugat és Kína között húzódó politikai és gazdasági törésvonalat minden korábbinál jobban elmélyítette a koronavírus-járvány. Azonban míg a nagypolitika és a gazdasági kapcsolatok kevésbé hatottak az európaiak Kínáról kialakított véleményére, addig a pandémia a társadalom minden szegmensét érintette, és komoly indulatokat váltott ki Pekinggel szemben. Az Európai Unió közvéleményének esetleges Kína-ellenes fordulata megnehezítheti a két gazdasági óriás közötti együttműködést, míg a geopolitikai feszültségek növekedése gyengítheti mindkét fél nemzetközi kapcsolatait. Ezért fontos megismerni e hangulatváltozás jellegét, mértékét és okait. Tanulmányunk alapját egy reprezentatív nemzetközi közvélemény-kutatás adja, mely az Európai Unió tíz tagállama mellett Szerbiára és Oroszországra is kiterjedt, és országonként 1 500 válaszadóval, több mint 350 elemből álló kérdőív felhasználásával készült. Jelen tanulmány célja, hogy az említett közvélemény-kutatás során vizsgált európai országok kö...
China's Relations with Central and Eastern Europe, 2017
Having spent more than a decade occupied with its EU and NATO accession process Hungary was among... more Having spent more than a decade occupied with its EU and NATO accession process Hungary was among the first post-socialist Central and Eastern European countries to rediscover China as a potentially important international partner. As a consequence, all of the four Hungarian prime ministers have visited Beijing and as a remarkable effort to boost bilateral relations, the Hungarian government hosted the first meeting of the Central and Eastern European countries and China in 2011, with the presence of then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Considering the size of the country, Budapest enjoys a relatively high attention in Beijing, probably due to the numerous Chinese community and some early positive political gestures of the Hungarian government towards China. Some might even argue that the legend of ancient Sino-Hungarian brotherhood might have played an important initial role as well. Indeed, Hungarian is the only Western nation where family names precede given names, just like in China. Whatever the reason is, it is a fact that Hungary has received the largest amount of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the CEE region for the time being , and the country may play an important role in the Belt and Road initiative of President Xi Jinping. As to trade relations, Hungary is one of the most important partners of China in Central and Eastern Europe, though international trade is dominated by multinational companies to a high extent. The following paper provides an insight to the major achievements of Sino-Hungarian cooperation and to the impact of the 16+1 and Belt and Road (OBOR) projects on bilateral ties.
Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of thei... more Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of their most important partners in Asia. Korean firms have invested tremendous amounts of capital in CEE countries, and they share the same political values as well. Even so, literature on bilateral relations and public sentiment is scarce. Here I attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of political and economic relations between certain CEE countries and the ROK. For scientific added value findings are based on 101 interviews conducted with international relations students from four different nations to assess the image of South and North Korea in an international context.
treffpunkteuropa kontrovers diskutiert uber den Einfluss Chinas in Mittelosteuropa: Fur Tamas Mat... more treffpunkteuropa kontrovers diskutiert uber den Einfluss Chinas in Mittelosteuropa: Fur Tamas Matura ist die Kritik der Westeuropaer an den China-Beziehungen Mittelosteuropas nicht nachvollziehbar.…
The growing and intensifying cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) ... more The growing and intensifying cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has generated extensive criticism by and concerns among EU institutions and Western European member states of the Union. According to diplomatic presumptions, China aims to gain political leverage in exchange for economic benefits in the EU through its CEE members. The following article attempts to evaluate the correlation between the quality of bilateral political relations and economic relations of China and CEE countries in order to draw conclusions on the importance or, on the contrary, the irrelevance of Chinese activity in the region. THE AIM OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LITERATURE on the link between international trade, investment and politics through an assessment of the state of bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Central and Eastern European countries (CEE). 1 After decades of fluctuating fortunes, China's relationship with its CEE partners is witnessing a new beginning since the establishment of the cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries-the so-called '16+1 cooperation'-in 2011. 2 At first glance, the economic prospects of cooperation are bright: CEE countries need liquidity and investment, China needs investment opportunities and new markets, and both sides are eager to boost their trade relations. However, success appears less obvious if one takes a closer look. At the same time, certain institutions and major Western member states of the European Union (EU) have been expressing their concerns with regard to Chinese activities among CEE EU members. CEE governments have faced criticism by their Western counterparts and EU institutions, which claim that CEE EU member states see trade and investment benefits from China as more important than the political cohesion of Europe, and that 'China and the 16 CEE countries are building a new Berlin Wall', as a Western diplomat said under Chatham House rules in 2013.
Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of thei... more Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of their most important partners in Asia. Korean firms have invested tremendous amounts of capital in CEE countries, and they share the same political values as well. Even so, literature on bilateral relations and public sentiment is scarce. Here I attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of political and economic relations between certain CEE countries and the ROK. For scientific added value findings are based on 101 interviews conducted with international relations students from four different nations to assess the image of South and North Korea in an international context.
In: Europe-Asia regional security challenges (eds.: Béla Háda and Erzsébet N. Rózsa). National Un... more In: Europe-Asia regional security challenges (eds.: Béla Háda and Erzsébet N. Rózsa). National University of Public Service, Budapest, 2014.
FDI investment cannot help mitigate the huge gap in foreign trade between the two countries. In t... more FDI investment cannot help mitigate the huge gap in foreign trade between the two countries. In the last years the Hungarian deficit in bilateral trade continuously increased. Hungary could not reach surplus even in agriculture. While a regional leader in incoming FDI, Hungary is still negligible from the point of view of China.
Content Péter Wintermantel: Foreword. Asian Studies, Volume 2 Editor’s Note László Árva: India: t... more Content Péter Wintermantel: Foreword. Asian Studies, Volume 2 Editor’s Note László Árva: India: the Changing Structure of the Economy . László Csicsmann – Erzsébet N. Rózsa: The Minority Issue in the Middle East, with the Kurdish Community in Focus Béla Fazekas: Democratic Transition in Myanmar – Lessons to Learn Judit Hamberger: China in Central Europe Imre Szilágyi: China’s Engagement in Slovenia and the Western Balkans in the Light of the Warsaw Meeting Tamás Matura: China’s Economic Expansion into Central Europe Liu Zuokui: New Opportunities and Challenges for China’s Investment in Central and Eastern Europe Dragana Mitrović: Political Economy of the Chinese Investments in Eastern, Central and South-East Europe Kinga Szálkai: Non-Proliferation without Assurances in Central Asia The Publisher
Content: János Hóvári: Preface István Szerdahelyi, Szabolcs Takács, and Péter Wintermantel: The I... more Content: János Hóvári: Preface István Szerdahelyi, Szabolcs Takács, and Péter Wintermantel: The Implementation of Hungary’s Asia-Policy during the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Tamás Matura: Editor’s Note Zsuzsánna Biedermann: Multipolar Financial World – Multi-Pillar Reserve Currency System? László Csicsmann: Normalisation through Cricket Diplomacy? An Analysis of Indo-Pakistani Relations in the 21st Century Emília Fábián: Priorities of Security Policy: Responses of Japan and the European Union to New Global Challenges in the 21st Century Béla Háda: Some Questions about India’s Great-Power Politics in the Last Decade András Inotai: Impact of the Global Crisis on EU–China Relations: Facts, Chances and Potential Risks Erzsébet N. Rózsa: Iran and China – Looking for an Alliance and Regional Power Status Lajos Rácz: The Impact of Inter-Regional (EU–China) Relations on the Security of Eurasia Ágnes Szunomár: The Present and Future of the China–EU Relationship...
for their constant support, patience and encouragement in the long process of finalising the diss... more for their constant support, patience and encouragement in the long process of finalising the dissertation. Furthermore, I would like to thank my parents and family for their help in achieving this step of my professional development. Thank you all! within the EU?, Brussels: European Institute for Asian Studies.
A Nyugat és Kína között húzódó politikai és gazdasági törésvonalat minden korábbinál jobban elmél... more A Nyugat és Kína között húzódó politikai és gazdasági törésvonalat minden korábbinál jobban elmélyítette a koronavírus-járvány. Azonban míg a nagypolitika és a gazdasági kapcsolatok kevésbé hatottak az európaiak Kínáról kialakított véleményére, addig a pandémia a társadalom minden szegmensét érintette, és komoly indulatokat váltott ki Pekinggel szemben. Az Európai Unió közvéleményének esetleges Kína-ellenes fordulata megnehezítheti a két gazdasági óriás közötti együttműködést, míg a geopolitikai feszültségek növekedése gyengítheti mindkét fél nemzetközi kapcsolatait. Ezért fontos megismerni e hangulatváltozás jellegét, mértékét és okait. Tanulmányunk alapját egy reprezentatív nemzetközi közvélemény-kutatás adja, mely az Európai Unió tíz tagállama mellett Szerbiára és Oroszországra is kiterjedt, és országonként 1 500 válaszadóval, több mint 350 elemből álló kérdőív felhasználásával készült. Jelen tanulmány célja, hogy az említett közvélemény-kutatás során vizsgált európai országok kö...
China's Relations with Central and Eastern Europe, 2017
Having spent more than a decade occupied with its EU and NATO accession process Hungary was among... more Having spent more than a decade occupied with its EU and NATO accession process Hungary was among the first post-socialist Central and Eastern European countries to rediscover China as a potentially important international partner. As a consequence, all of the four Hungarian prime ministers have visited Beijing and as a remarkable effort to boost bilateral relations, the Hungarian government hosted the first meeting of the Central and Eastern European countries and China in 2011, with the presence of then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Considering the size of the country, Budapest enjoys a relatively high attention in Beijing, probably due to the numerous Chinese community and some early positive political gestures of the Hungarian government towards China. Some might even argue that the legend of ancient Sino-Hungarian brotherhood might have played an important initial role as well. Indeed, Hungarian is the only Western nation where family names precede given names, just like in China. Whatever the reason is, it is a fact that Hungary has received the largest amount of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the CEE region for the time being , and the country may play an important role in the Belt and Road initiative of President Xi Jinping. As to trade relations, Hungary is one of the most important partners of China in Central and Eastern Europe, though international trade is dominated by multinational companies to a high extent. The following paper provides an insight to the major achievements of Sino-Hungarian cooperation and to the impact of the 16+1 and Belt and Road (OBOR) projects on bilateral ties.
Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of thei... more Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of their most important partners in Asia. Korean firms have invested tremendous amounts of capital in CEE countries, and they share the same political values as well. Even so, literature on bilateral relations and public sentiment is scarce. Here I attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of political and economic relations between certain CEE countries and the ROK. For scientific added value findings are based on 101 interviews conducted with international relations students from four different nations to assess the image of South and North Korea in an international context.
treffpunkteuropa kontrovers diskutiert uber den Einfluss Chinas in Mittelosteuropa: Fur Tamas Mat... more treffpunkteuropa kontrovers diskutiert uber den Einfluss Chinas in Mittelosteuropa: Fur Tamas Matura ist die Kritik der Westeuropaer an den China-Beziehungen Mittelosteuropas nicht nachvollziehbar.…
The growing and intensifying cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) ... more The growing and intensifying cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has generated extensive criticism by and concerns among EU institutions and Western European member states of the Union. According to diplomatic presumptions, China aims to gain political leverage in exchange for economic benefits in the EU through its CEE members. The following article attempts to evaluate the correlation between the quality of bilateral political relations and economic relations of China and CEE countries in order to draw conclusions on the importance or, on the contrary, the irrelevance of Chinese activity in the region. THE AIM OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LITERATURE on the link between international trade, investment and politics through an assessment of the state of bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Central and Eastern European countries (CEE). 1 After decades of fluctuating fortunes, China's relationship with its CEE partners is witnessing a new beginning since the establishment of the cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries-the so-called '16+1 cooperation'-in 2011. 2 At first glance, the economic prospects of cooperation are bright: CEE countries need liquidity and investment, China needs investment opportunities and new markets, and both sides are eager to boost their trade relations. However, success appears less obvious if one takes a closer look. At the same time, certain institutions and major Western member states of the European Union (EU) have been expressing their concerns with regard to Chinese activities among CEE EU members. CEE governments have faced criticism by their Western counterparts and EU institutions, which claim that CEE EU member states see trade and investment benefits from China as more important than the political cohesion of Europe, and that 'China and the 16 CEE countries are building a new Berlin Wall', as a Western diplomat said under Chatham House rules in 2013.
Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of thei... more Most Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries view the Republic of Korea (ROK) as one of their most important partners in Asia. Korean firms have invested tremendous amounts of capital in CEE countries, and they share the same political values as well. Even so, literature on bilateral relations and public sentiment is scarce. Here I attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of political and economic relations between certain CEE countries and the ROK. For scientific added value findings are based on 101 interviews conducted with international relations students from four different nations to assess the image of South and North Korea in an international context.
In: Europe-Asia regional security challenges (eds.: Béla Háda and Erzsébet N. Rózsa). National Un... more In: Europe-Asia regional security challenges (eds.: Béla Háda and Erzsébet N. Rózsa). National University of Public Service, Budapest, 2014.
FDI investment cannot help mitigate the huge gap in foreign trade between the two countries. In t... more FDI investment cannot help mitigate the huge gap in foreign trade between the two countries. In the last years the Hungarian deficit in bilateral trade continuously increased. Hungary could not reach surplus even in agriculture. While a regional leader in incoming FDI, Hungary is still negligible from the point of view of China.
Content Péter Wintermantel: Foreword. Asian Studies, Volume 2 Editor’s Note László Árva: India: t... more Content Péter Wintermantel: Foreword. Asian Studies, Volume 2 Editor’s Note László Árva: India: the Changing Structure of the Economy . László Csicsmann – Erzsébet N. Rózsa: The Minority Issue in the Middle East, with the Kurdish Community in Focus Béla Fazekas: Democratic Transition in Myanmar – Lessons to Learn Judit Hamberger: China in Central Europe Imre Szilágyi: China’s Engagement in Slovenia and the Western Balkans in the Light of the Warsaw Meeting Tamás Matura: China’s Economic Expansion into Central Europe Liu Zuokui: New Opportunities and Challenges for China’s Investment in Central and Eastern Europe Dragana Mitrović: Political Economy of the Chinese Investments in Eastern, Central and South-East Europe Kinga Szálkai: Non-Proliferation without Assurances in Central Asia The Publisher
Content: János Hóvári: Preface István Szerdahelyi, Szabolcs Takács, and Péter Wintermantel: The I... more Content: János Hóvári: Preface István Szerdahelyi, Szabolcs Takács, and Péter Wintermantel: The Implementation of Hungary’s Asia-Policy during the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Tamás Matura: Editor’s Note Zsuzsánna Biedermann: Multipolar Financial World – Multi-Pillar Reserve Currency System? László Csicsmann: Normalisation through Cricket Diplomacy? An Analysis of Indo-Pakistani Relations in the 21st Century Emília Fábián: Priorities of Security Policy: Responses of Japan and the European Union to New Global Challenges in the 21st Century Béla Háda: Some Questions about India’s Great-Power Politics in the Last Decade András Inotai: Impact of the Global Crisis on EU–China Relations: Facts, Chances and Potential Risks Erzsébet N. Rózsa: Iran and China – Looking for an Alliance and Regional Power Status Lajos Rácz: The Impact of Inter-Regional (EU–China) Relations on the Security of Eurasia Ágnes Szunomár: The Present and Future of the China–EU Relationship...
Eight years have passed since Hungary had the pleasure to welcome then Premier Wen Jiabao, and to... more Eight years have passed since Hungary had the pleasure to welcome then Premier Wen Jiabao, and to organise the first China–Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum, the foundation of the cooperation between Beijing and its sixteen regional partner countries, or the 16 + 1 initiative as we know it today. Relations to China were high on the political agenda of all Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in the past years, as everybody was hoping for higher levels of financial liquidity, new jobs and enhanced economic activity amid the crisis-ridden economic environment of the European Union.This book was written in the framework of a larger research project of the National University of Public Service, Budapest. The project was supported by the research funds of the European Union, and its main aim was to analyse the foreign policy and international affairs of ten CEE countries. The following chapters will guide the reader into the details of the China policy of Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, that is, it includes the most important countries of the 16 + 1 cooperation, but also goes beyond that framework and offers an insight into the approach of Austria, a wealthy western nation, and Ukraine, a developing Eastern European country. The authors are all one of the most renowned China and foreign policy experts of their respective nations with remarkable experiences and expertise in their field of research.
The purpose of this report is to provide a comparative perspective of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road... more The purpose of this report is to provide a comparative perspective of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative (OBOR), as seen from the various European Union (EU) member states. The Chinese leadership officially launched this framework in autumn 2013, presenting it immediately as a key national concept and foreign policy priority for the years to come. Yet OBOR is not a formal policy or a well-defined strategy, but rather a very broad conceptual framework for policies that aim at contributing to greater economic integration within Asia, between Asia and Europe, and between Asia and Africa through a diversity of activities and projects. At the heart of OBOR is a strategic approach to infrastructure development in a very broad sense. Accordingly, China’s first action plan on OBOR1 identified transport, energy and telecommunication infrastructure as priorities (although this list is not exhaustive).
Kína, azaz a „Középső Birodalom” a világ egyik legősibb, folyamatosan
fennálló civilizációja, a ... more Kína, azaz a „Középső Birodalom” a világ egyik legősibb, folyamatosan fennálló civilizációja, a kelet-ázsiai régió kulturális központja és meghatározó nagyhatalma az elmúlt legalább négyezer év folyamán. Bár a történelmi Kína területén számos népcsoport, nyelvjárás és szokás keveredett, a han kínaiakhoz kötődő kultúra alapvető szerepet játszott és játszik napjainkig az egész térség életében. Ebből is fakad, hogy a Kínai Birodalom és a ma létező Kínai Népköztársaság lakói elsősorban nem nemzetállamként, hanem civilizációként tekintenek saját országukra, és az azt körülvevő befolyási övezetre, azaz a sinoszférára E civilizáció regionális egyeduralma könnyen megérthető, ha figyelembe vesszük a térség földrajzi és történelmi adottságait, amelyek Kína a világ más nagy kultúráitól való jórészt izolált fejlődéséhez, és ezáltal egy minden tekintetben egyedi, a nyugati világtól jelentősen eltérő karakterű önálló univerzum kialakulásához vezettek. A kínai civilizáció térben és időben olyan Civilizációk Kelettől Nyugatig hatalmas kiterjedésű és olyan mélységű, hogy arról a rendelkezésre álló keretek között nem lehetséges teljes képet adni, így a nemzetközi tanulmányok szak szempontjait szem előtt tartva szemezgetünk egyes elemeiből. Az alábbi fejezet Kína prehistorikus időszakától kezdve a dinasztikus ciklusokon keresztül a császárság bukásáig tekinti át az ország történetének azon fejezeteit, amelyek a legmeghatározóbbak Kína világszemlélete és külpolitikai magatartása megértése szempontjából.
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Papers by Tamas Matura
fennálló civilizációja, a kelet-ázsiai régió kulturális központja és meghatározó nagyhatalma az elmúlt legalább négyezer év folyamán. Bár a történelmi Kína területén számos népcsoport, nyelvjárás és szokás keveredett, a han kínaiakhoz kötődő kultúra alapvető szerepet játszott és játszik napjainkig az egész térség életében. Ebből is fakad, hogy a Kínai Birodalom és a ma létező Kínai Népköztársaság lakói elsősorban nem nemzetállamként, hanem civilizációként tekintenek saját országukra, és az azt körülvevő befolyási övezetre, azaz a sinoszférára E civilizáció regionális egyeduralma könnyen megérthető, ha figyelembe vesszük a térség földrajzi és történelmi adottságait, amelyek Kína a világ más nagy kultúráitól való jórészt izolált fejlődéséhez, és ezáltal egy minden tekintetben egyedi, a nyugati világtól jelentősen eltérő karakterű önálló univerzum kialakulásához vezettek. A kínai civilizáció térben és időben olyan Civilizációk Kelettől Nyugatig hatalmas kiterjedésű és olyan mélységű, hogy arról a rendelkezésre álló keretek között nem lehetséges teljes képet adni, így a nemzetközi tanulmányok szak szempontjait szem előtt tartva szemezgetünk egyes elemeiből. Az alábbi fejezet Kína prehistorikus időszakától kezdve a dinasztikus ciklusokon keresztül a császárság bukásáig tekinti át az ország történetének azon fejezeteit, amelyek a legmeghatározóbbak Kína világszemlélete és külpolitikai magatartása megértése szempontjából.