The Chinese Relations with Central and Eastern European Countries: the «16+1» Format as the Main Tool for China to Pursue its Interests in Europe

This paper explores the proceedings within the “16+1” cooperation format (cooperation between China and sixteen Central and Eastern European countries) during the period from 2012 to the present time, covering such topics as the framework of cooperation, its main directions and obstacles, the importance of the dialogue in terms of “One Belt, One Road” initiative as well as trade and investment opportunities for both sides. This work is aimed to address the research gap and add to the body of knowledge about the nature and true intentions of the “16+1” format. We will perform primary and secondary data collection and use content and quantitative data analysis. The results of the paper may reveal the importance of CEEC for China when dealing with European countries in general and become a theoretical base for further research. Keywords: China, Central and Eastern Europe, One Belt One Road, EU, FDI, trade, subregional cooperation, geopolitics, geoeconomics.