Chinese investment in Poland has grown significantly over the past decade, rising to more than US$338 million by 2020, a level nearly eight times the level in 2013.1 According to the Polish government, Chinese investments in Poland aggregated to US$2.2 billion by the end of 2020. The effects of COVID-19 in both countries and the increase in international tensions during 2021 and 2022 resulted in a decline from the peak investment levels, yet Chinese interest in Poland continues. Major PRC manufacturing companies, such as Guangxi Liugong, Hubei Sanhuan, TCL, Nuctech, TPV, Dalian Darent, CIMC Vehicles, Hongbo Clean Energy, BWI, Bioton Biopharmaceuticals, SDIC Zhonglu, Cathay Pacific Huarong, Xinzhoubang and others, and China’s information and communication leaders, such as Huawei and ZTE, have also made significant investments in Poland. Financial institutions, such as China Construction Bank, China-Central and Eastern Europe Investment Cooperation Fund, and Haitong Bank, have all established operations there in recent years.2 What explains this attraction for a country whose population is smaller than an average-size province of China?
