| Abstract [eng] |
This master's thesis - Serbia between two competing powers: what explains the decision of a small Balkan state to maneuver between the EU and China in foreign policy? - examines Serbia's motives for choosing the respective foreign policy towards these actors. The purpose of this work is to find out which factors in various fields explain Serbia‘s balancing in these relations the most. The first chapter discusses the theoretical background. First, it presents how the main theories of international relations (realism, liberalism and constructivism) explain foreign relations of small states, distinguishing the main arguments of these theories. Then, one of the theoretical parts of the studies of small states - the "shelter" theory - is taken into account, showing its advantages compared to classical theories of international relations. The three most important arguments of this theory are described: the pursuit of economic, political and social "shelter" - as the main motives of foreign policy. The latter theoretical aspects are operationalized by formulating the hypotheses used for the research. Second, it defines how different aspects of this theory are applied to the analysis of this work and how the obtained results are evaluated. In the empirical analysis section, the case of Serbian foreign policy is analyzed in the economic, political and social spheres within the period of 2009-2024. Serbia's economic relations with the EU and China are examined through the indicators of mutual trade, investment, cooperation in economic formats and evaluation of economic results in the public sphere. This analysis shows that mutual trade, cooperation in the investment sector and economic formats have little impact on Serbia's foreign policy choices. This is evidenced by the low economic benefits for Serbia in the long term within these areas in relations with China compared to the EU. However, in this field, the narrative of economic achievements in cooperation with China is gaining more importance in the public sphere. The pursuit of diplomatic support from China and the negiotation process with the EU of Kosovo status had the greatest impact for Serbia‘s decision. This was seen in light of China's active support in the international arena and various concessions from the EU in the Kosovo negotiations. Meanwhile, the divided attitude of the Serbian public towards China and the EU adjusted the attitude of the Balkan state's elite towards foreign policy and led to internal changes focused on the pursuit of a policy of maneuvering. This analysis extends the academic debate about the importance of small states in international relations and their significance in the competitive politics of major international actors. The study also draws attention to the limitations of other classical theories (realism, liberalism, constructivism) in explaining the foreign policy of small states. Instead, it provides a broader theoretical model for further research examining the possibilities for small states to perform well at the international level in the face of growing geopolitical competition. |
