PODCAST: Chinese Investment in Post-Brexit Europe

The Harvard on China podcast talks to Philippe Le Corre about how growing levels of Chinese investment are changing Europe’s economic and political landscape.

Europe’s post-2008 financial crises have provided opportunities for Chinese overseas investment in cash-strapped European states.

From infrastructure investments in a high-speed rail line between Serbia and Hungary, to developing Greece’s port of Piraeus, becoming majority shareholders in France’s Toulouse airport, and developing business parks in Belarus, China’s continent-wide investments are altering economic and political realities across Europe.

In the wake of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union (Brexit), how will Chinese investment continue to change realpolitik in the Old Continent?

We spoke with Philippe Le Corre, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute, former advisor at France’s Ministry of Defense, and former fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, about his recent book, “China’s Offensive in Europe” from Brookings Institution Press. Listen to the podcast below:

The “Harvard on China” podcast is hosted by James Evans at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. Listen to more podcast interviews and public lectures from the Fairbank Center on SoundCloud, iTunes, Stitcher, and other podcast providers.