CEIAS authors Matej Šimalčík and Filip Šebok contributed the Slovakia chapter to the European Think Tank Network on China (ETNC) Report 2026, examining how Slovakia’s approach to technological cooperation with China has evolved under the current government.
Executive Summary
China’s drive to become a global leader in science, technology and innovation has huge implications for the EU and its member states. On the one hand, China is becoming a strong competitor in industrial high-tech sectors and innovative science that used to be the stronghold of European actors. Advanced digital technologies made in China also increasingly pose risks to infrastructures in Europe. On the other hand, China offers itself as a resourceful counterpart for collaboration in research and development (R&D) and keeps attracting European scientists and businesses alike.
This report, the 12th compiled by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC), analyses how Europe is affected by China’s rise to a technological power and its increasing clout in shaping and creating innovation. Authors from 22 European countries have contributed to this study. The goal is to provide a nuanced picture of how those states interact with China in the field of innovative technologies, and to identify commonalities and differences in how they are affected.
Slovakia key takeaways:
- In the technology field, China is presented as a partner that can help Slovakia climb up the the value-added ladder.
- The focus on cooperation with China in the field of innovation and technology is also reiterated in the 2026 Indo-Pacific strategy.
- Technological cooperation with China is dominated primarily by the automotive sector, specifically EV and battery production.
- Academic cooperation with the Chinese universities belonging to the Seven Sons of National Defence group has raised concerns about dual-use technology transfers.
