Author: Ágnes Szunomár

In: Wu, Chien-Huei (ed.) Switching diplomatic recognition between Taiwan and China: economic and social impact, London, New York: Routledge (2024) pp. 179-195.

Introduction

The transition of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries from centrally planned to market economies in the late twentieth century transformed the region’s external economic relations. During this transition period, CEE countries went through radical economic restructuring, largely induced by foreign capital. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) realized significant investment projects and established their own production networks in the region. Investors, primarily from core European countries, were attracted by macroeconomic factors, including relatively low unit labor costs, market size, openness to trade, and proximity. Institutional factors, such as the prospects for CEE countries’ economic integration with the European Union (EU), also increased foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows.

A Szunomár, Á.: Economic versus political engagement with China and Taiwan in Central and Eastern Europe bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: Dominika Szécsi, Ágnes Szunomár

In: Society and Economy, (published online ahead of print 2024).

Abstract

The topic of the research is whether better human capital, as determined by secondary school learning outcomes measured by PISA scores, promotes economic growth. The literature often uses the PISA results as a proxy for growth, while its use and impact on growth are not empirically proven. These questions are analyzed through two hypotheses. The first hypothesis (H1) states that in a worldwide sample of countries, GDP per capita growth between 2006 and 2019 was positively impacted by rising PISA results. The second hypothesis (H2) states that between 2006 and 2019, the rise in PISA scores in East Asia had a stronger influence on economic growth than in the rest of the world. The study examines 59 nations that have administered two PISA tests during the period of 2006–2019. The findings imply that there is generally no causal connection between PISA results and growth and the PISA results play no additional role in the development of East Asian nations. The results can be explained in two ways. The first is that human capital includes more than just skills. The second is that the data only covers a short period of time, which may limit the analysis of long-term patterns.

A Szécsi, D., Szunomár, Á.: PISA score as an inappropriate measure for growth? Empirical evidence from East Asia bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Ágnes Szunomár

In: Indrajit Roy, Jappe Eckhardt, Dimitrios Stroikos, and Simona Davidescu (eds.): Rising Power, Limited Influence – The Politics of Chinese Investments in Europe and the Liberal International Order, Oxford University Press, 2024, pp 65-81.

DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780192887115.003.0004

Introduction

In parallel with its increasing global engagements, hallmarked by the ‘Going global’ (zhou chu qu) policy and the Belt and Road Initiative, China has become more active in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region in the past two decades. Similarly to China’s relations with developing and emerging regions, Chinese presence in CEE is characterized by developing trade relations, growing inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI), and recently also infrastructure projects carried out by Chinese companies, financed by Chinese loans (see Knoerich’s chapter in this volume). Although when compared to China’s economic presence globally or in the developed world its economic impact on CEE countries is still small, it has increased significantly over the past two decades. Since the relationship between China and the CEE region had a rather low profile in previous decades, this was quite a new phenomenon, but not an unexpected one. On the one hand, the transformation of the global economy and restructuring of China’s own economy are responsible for growing Chinese interest in CEE, and on the other hand CEE also represents new challenges and new opportunities for China. In line with these challenges and opportunities, China created the 16+1 (later 17+1) platform in 2012—strongly connected to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) announced in 2013—to increase cooperation with and its influence in the CEE region. Hence, in addition to economic expansion, China has started to gain a foothold in political terms too.

A Szunomár, Á.: Illiberal rationalism? The role of political factors in China’s growing (economic) footprint in Hungary bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Ágnes Szunomár

Citation: Ágnes Szunomár, From Zero to Hero? Chinese Investment in Electric Vehicle Supply Chains in the Visegrád Four. Prague, Czech Republic: Association for International Affairs (AMO), 2024

Abstract

China has not only gained a foothold in the electric vehicle industry but has become one of the most important players globally. Accordingly, it wants to penetrate global markets, including the European one, with its own EVs, and also be close to other EV manufacturers to supply them with EV components, including batteries, via its own companies.

This paper analyzes the recent trend of Chinese investments in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chains in the Visegrád Four (V4) countries of Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.

A Szunomár, Á.: From Zero to Hero? Chinese Investment in Electric Vehicle Supply Chains in the Visegrád Four bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.