Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Serbia, emphasizing the strong friendship between the two countries and underscoring their shared wariness of the United States. The visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of a 1999 airstrike by the U.S. Air Force during the Kosovo war that destroyed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, resulting in the deaths of three Chinese journalists. Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic celebrated the enduring friendship between China and Serbia, highlighting their historical connections and common interests.
During previous visits to Eastern and Central Europe, Xi faced protests, but in Belgrade, he was warmly received, with potential protesters reportedly detained and state workers mobilized to cheer him. Despite concerns about human rights issues, China has become Serbia’s largest foreign investor, strengthening economic ties between the two countries. The relationship was initially formed due to their mutual wariness of Western and Soviet powers before the collapse of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
Xi’s visit coincided with efforts to improve relations with the United States and Western Europe, as China commemorated the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy. While Beijing expressed suspicions about Western intentions, Xi refrained from overtly criticizing the West, focusing instead on the strength of China-Serbia relations. Both countries view themselves as righteous forces wronged by hostile outsiders and support each other’s territorial claims, including China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and Serbia’s claim to Kosovo.
Despite growing anti-China sentiment in Europe due to events like the war in Ukraine, Serbia has maintained a strong pro-Chinese stance, bolstered by close ties to Russia. Serbia looks to China for significant investment but faces a widening trade deficit. A new free trade agreement aims to boost Serbian exports to China, particularly agricultural products like prunes, plums, and blueberries. Serbian President Vucic was one of the European leaders who attended an event in Beijing celebrating China’s Belt and Road infrastructure program, signaling continued cooperation between the two countries.
During Xi’s visit, Belgrade was adorned with Chinese flags and billboards praising the friendship between China and Serbia. Opposition politicians criticized the government for orchestrating a manufactured outpouring of affection for Xi, with reports of street cleaners and other state workers being ordered to cheer for the Chinese leader. Serbia’s state-owned television even interrupted a broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest to cover the welcoming ceremony for Xi at Belgrade airport. The visit highlighted the deepening political and economic ties between China and Serbia, despite growing opposition towards China in Europe.
