Europe | Bringing it all back home

Near-shoring is turning eastern Europe into the new China

With firms moving production closer to market, CEE is the place to be

An employee inspects a Vredestein branded automobile tyre on the quality control line at the Apollo Tyres Hungary Kft plant in Gyongyoshalasz, Hungar
Photograph: Getty Images

The european union has tried hard lately to restrict Chinese imports. Yet this summer China made it easier to import one European product: Polish poultry. The gesture was economically insignificant. But it is part of a broader push by China to cultivate and invest in central and eastern Europe (CEE).

Explore more

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Bringing it all back home”

From the September 21st 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Marine Le Pen (L) arrives at the Paris criminal courthouse for her trial on suspicion of embezzlement of European public funds

Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets

She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics

Donald Trump shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as they meet in Palm Beach, Florida, United States, November 22nd 2024

The maths of Europe’s military black hole 

It needs to spend to defend, but voters may balk


Ukraine’s warriors brace for a Kremlin surge in the south 

Vladimir Putin’s war machine is pushing harder and crushing Ukrainian morale


Vladimir Putin fires a new missile to amplify his nuclear threats

The attack on Ukraine is part of a new era of missile warfare

Once dominant, Germany is now desperate

As an election looms its business model is breaking down



Discover more

A girl in China doing homework

Podcast Drum Tower

Inside China’s disciplinary centres for “deviant” youth

Our weekly podcast on China. This week: what happens when young Chinese challenge the social conservatism of their parents?

An employee works at the grain reserve warehouse of a soybean processing enterprise

Trump, trade and feeding China’s pigs

As a trade war looms, China looks to cut its reliance on America


A little black figure struggles to open a door in the back of Xi Jinping's head.

Helping America’s hawks get inside the head of Xi Jinping

China’s leader is a risk-taker. How far will he go in confronting America?


From Nixon to China, to Trump to Tehran

Iran is weak. For America’s next president that creates an opportunity

Is China really a nation of slackers?

A new survey raises the question

The World Ahead Business in 2025

To see the cars of the future, look at China’s electric vehicles

With their surprising and innovative features, they are streets ahead