China–Serbia relations

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China–Serbia relations
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Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
China 		Flag of Serbia.svg
Serbia
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of China, Belgrade Embassy of Serbia, Beijing
Envoy
Li Ming Maja Stefanović

China and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established between People's Republic of China and SFR Yugoslavia in 1955. From 1956 to 2006, China maintained relations with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (later Serbia and Montenegro), of which Serbia is considered shared (SFRY) or sole (FRY) legal successor. [1] In recent decades, the two countries have held a very close relationship raising it to the level of strategic partnership since 2009. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

History

China supported the Serbia (then part of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) during the Kosovo War and opposed the NATO airstrikes against targets in Serbia and Montenegro. [5] China believed that Milošević was acting to prevent the secession of Kosovo by Albanian separatists from Serbia, and thus supported his actions as preserving the FRY's territorial integrity. [6] China opposed NATO intervention in Kosovo on the basis that it set a dangerous precedent that Chinese officials believed could in the future afflict China should riots occur in Tibet or Xinjiang and then result in bombings. [6] PRC opposition to the NATO actions intensified after the United States bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during the war. [5]

Political relations

Under president Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia has sought closer cooperation with China. [7] After meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, he secured Chinese help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia through the delivery of PPE and CoronaVac vaccine doses, [8] which contributed to Serbia leading COVID-19 vaccination rates in Europe. [9] [10]

In 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Serbia, signed a joint letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council defending China's persecution of Uyghurs. [11] [12] Serbia was one of 16 countries that defended China in 2019 but did not do so in 2020. [13]

In 2024, on occasion of the 25th anniversary of the United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Chinese leader Xi Jinping wrote an article in the Serbian newspaper Politika in which he stated, "The friendship between China and Serbia which is soaked in blood that the two peoples spilled together has become a joint memory of the two peoples and will encourage both parties to make together huge steps forward." [14] In September 2025, China ratified an extradition treaty it signed with Serbia in 2024. [15]

China's stance on Kosovo

Serbia (yellow) and Kosovo (striped) Serbia adm location map.svg
Serbia (yellow) and Kosovo (striped)

China backs Serbia's position regarding Kosovo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has made a statement stressing that the PRC "expresses grave concern" over Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. The spokesman Liu Jianchao's remarks go on to add that "The resolution of the Kosovo issue bares [ sic ] on peace and stability of the Balkan region, the fundamental norms governing international relations as well as the authority and role of the UN Security Council. China always believes that a plan acceptable to both Serbia and Kosovo through negotiations is the best way to resolve this issue. The unilateral move taken by Kosovo will lead to a series of consequences. China is deeply worried about its severe and negative impact on peace and stability of the Balkan region and the goal of establishing a multi-ethnic society in Kosovo. China calls upon Serbia and Kosovo to continue negotiations for a proper resolution within the framework of the international law and work together to safeguard peace and stability of the Balkan region. The international community should create favorable conditions for that." [16] [17]

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić told reporters after an April 2009 meeting in Beijing with Politburo member Liu Yandong that China reiterated its support to help Serbia preserve her territorial integrity. "Just as Serbia supports the one China policy, China supports Serbia as its best and most stable friend in southeastern Europe." [18] Ambassador of China to Serbia, Wei Jinghua, stated in 2009 that "China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and understands the great concern of Serbia on the issue of Kosovo. We support the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina that would bring a mutually acceptable solution, in accordance with international law, the UN Charter and UN resolutions." [19]

High-level visits

DatesVisit
November 2000Visit by Foreign Minister Živadin Jovanović, to Beijing
December 2000Visit by Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, to Belgrade
August 2001Visit by Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus, to Beijing
January 2002Visit by President Vojislav Koštunica, to Beijing
April 2003Visit by Foreign Minister Goran Svilanović, to Beijing
April 2003Visit by Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Guchang, to Belgrade
November 2003Visit by Prime Minister Zoran Živković, to Beijing
September 2004Visit by Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinić, to Beijing
October 2004Visit by CPPCC Vice Chair Liu Yandong, to Belgrade
February 2005Visit by President Boris Tadić, to Beijing
May 2005Visit by Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui, to Belgrade
May 2005Visit by First Secretary of the CP City Committee Liu Qi, to Belgrade
May 2005Visit by Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, to Belgrade
October 2005Visit by Foreign Minister Vuk Drašković, to Beijing
December 2005Visit by Minister for Human and Minority Rights Rasim Ljajić, to Beijing
May 2006Visit by Mayor of Belgrade Nenad Bogdanović, to Beijing
May 2006Visit by Director of the Security Intelligence Agency Director Rade Bulatović, to Beijing
August 2006Visit by State Counsellor Tang Jiaxuan, to Belgrade
April 2007Visit by Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu, to Belgrade
April 2007Visit by Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Gen. Zdravko Ponoš, to Beijing
September 2007Visit by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, to Beijing
August 2008Visit by President Boris Tadić, to Beijing
September 2008Visit by Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the People Liberation Army Gen. Chen Bingde, to Belgrade
November 2008Visit by Defence Minister Dragan Šutanovac, to Beijing
April 2009Visit by Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić, to Beijing
August 2009Visit by President Boris Tadić, to Beijing
June 2010Visit by Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, to Beijing
July 2010Visit by Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo, to Belgrade
December 2010Visit by Minister of Diaspora Srđan Srećković, to Beijing
May 2011Visit by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, to Belgrade
August 2011Visit by President of the National Assembly Slavica Đukić Dejanović, to Beijing
August 2013Visit by President Tomislav Nikolić to Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai
December 2014Visit by Premier Li Keqiang, to Belgrade
September 2015Visit by President Tomislav Nikolić, to Beijing
November 2015Visit by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, to Suzhou
June 2016Visit by CCP General Secretary & President Xi Jinping, to Belgrade and Smederevo [14]
September 2018Visit by President Aleksandar Vučić, to Tianjin
October 2023Visit by President Aleksandar Vučić, to Beijing [14]
May 2024 Visit by CCP General Secretary & President Xi Jinping, to Belgrade [14]

Economic relations

China is Serbia's second biggest trading partner. Trade between the two countries amounted to $6.1 billion in 2022 with Chinese merchandise exports to Serbia standing at almost $5 billion while Serbian exports stood at $1.1 billion. Since 2024, China and Serbia have a free trade agreement. [14]

Chinese companies invested $5.6 billion in Serbia in the last decade. [20] [21] Chinese corporations making investments in Serbia include Zijin Mining (owner of Serbia Zijin Bor Copper cooper mining complex in Bor), Hesteel (owner of Hesteel Serbia steel plant in Smederevo), Hisense (electrical appliances factory in Valjevo), Linglong Tire (tire factory in Zrenjanin), and Minth (automotive parts factories in Šabac and Loznica).

Since early 2010s China has invested US$10 billion in Serbian infrastructure and energy mainly through China's Belt and Road Initiative, of which Serbia was one of major beneficiaries with projects including Serbian section of the Budapest–Belgrade railway (built by CCCC), 350 MW B3 unit of Kostolac thermal power-plant (built by CMEC), Belgrade–Ljig and Čačak-Požega segments of A2 motorway (built by Shandong Gaosu Group), Pupin Bridge in Belgrade (built by CRBC). [14] [22] As of 2024, Chinese companies are building several large infrastructure projects including Line 1 of Belgrade Metro (built by Power China), the National Stadium and exhibition halls for Expo 2027 in Belgrade (built by Power China), A6 motorway connecting Belgrade and Novi Sad through the town of Zrenjanin (built by Shandong Gaosu Group).

The Serbian flag carrier Air Serbia operates flights between Belgrade and Shanghai and Belgrade and Guangzhou. [23] [24] The Chinese carriers China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines operate flights between Belgrade and Guangzhou and Belgrade and Beijing respectively. [25] [26]

On 1 November 2024, the concrete canopy of the main railway station in Novi Sad collapsed onto the busy pavement below, killing 15 people. The station building was constructed in 1964, and was renovated from 2021 to mid-2024 with support from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The official cause of the collapse is still under investigation with government corruption and opaque dealings with Chinese contractors blamed. [27] The work was completed by a consortium of the Chinese companies China Railway International Co., Ltd (a subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited) and China Communications Construction Company, Ltd. (together referred to as CRIC-CCCC). [28] [29] [30] The railway station reconstruction was done as part of the Budapest–Belgrade railway project, the first stage of the planned Budapest–Belgrade–Skopje–Athens railway international connection. [31] The collapse spawned a series of mass protests in Novi Sad, which then spread throughout Serbia, [32] fueled by dissatisfaction with other issues including government corruption and media censorship. [33]

Military cooperation

In recent years, Serbia has purchased from China air defense missile systems of medium and short range (HQ-22 and HQ-17) as well as combat drones (CH-95 and CH-92). [34] [35] In 2025, the Serbian and Chinese militaries conducted joint training exercises in China, an operation which was code-named "Peace Guardian 2025". [36]

Cultural cooperation

Confucius Institute, cultural center devoted to the Chinese culture and language has been operating in Belgrade since 2006. [37]

Immigration from China

There is a relatively present Chinese diaspora in Serbia; estimates are that up to 15,000 Chinese people live in Serbia, mainly in Belgrade, Bor, and Zrenjanin. [38] First wave of Chinese immigration to Serbia mainly occurred during the late 1990s and was driven by relaxed visa policies, primarily traders from Zhejiang and Fujian who settled in Belgrade. Second wave is largely tied to economic activities, investments of Chinese companies in mining and manufacturing, and is concentrated in towns of Bor and Zrenjanin.

Travel regime

In 2017, Serbia and China mutually abolished the requirement of obtaining an entry visa for its citizens. [39]

Resident diplomatic missions

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Country programme framework". UNDP Serbia. UNDP. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "Serbia to Xi Jinping: No one reveres you like we do". POLITICO. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Visiting Serbia, China's Xi boosts 'ironclad' relationship – DW – 05/08/2024". dw.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  4. ↑ "China, Serbia sign strategic cooperation deal". Tanjug. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 22 August 2009 – via B92.
  5. 1 2 Warren I. Cohen. America's response to China: a history of Sino-American relations. 5th edition. New York, New York, USA; West Sussex, England, UK: Columbia University Press, 2010. p. 261.
  6. 1 2 Suisheng Zhao. Chinese foreign policy: pragmatism and strategic behavior. New York, New York, USA: M. E. Sharpe, Inc., 2004. p. 60.
  7. ↑ "Serbia as China's favorite partner". Deutsche Welle . Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "China Is Helping a European Ally Get Ahead on Vaccines". Bloomberg.com. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "Vaccine tourists welcome as Serbians say 'no thanks' to jabs". France 24. 4 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "Serbia is outpacing nearly every country in the EU at vaccination". The Economist. 3 April 2021. ISSN   0013-0613. Archived from the original on 5 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies?". The Diplomat . 15 July 2019. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Saudi Arabia and Russia among 37 states backing China's Xinjiang policy". Reuters . 12 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  13. ↑ Basu, Zachary (8 October 2020). "Mapped: More countries sign UN statement condemning China's mass detentions in Xinjiang". Axios . Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vasovic, Aleksander; Sito-sucic, Daria (5 May 2024). "China's Xi Jinping to Visit Serbia on Anniversary of 1999 NATO Bombing". Reuters . Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  15. ↑ "China ratifies extradition treaty with Serbia". Reuters. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "China 'deeply concerned' over Kosovo independence: govt". Agence France-Presse. 18 February 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  17. ↑ "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Jianchao's Remarks on Kosovo's Unilateral Declaration of Independence". mfa.gov.cn. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. 18 February 2008. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  18. ↑ "China reiterates support for Serbia". Tanjug. 7 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2019– via B92.
  19. ↑ Radeka, Dušica (16 June 2009). "Na Kosovu se brane principi". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 April 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ "Kako su poslovale kineske kompanije u Srbiji prošle godine: Si je imao razlog da dođe i pogura saradnju". 8 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "Američke kompanije do sada investirale oko pet milijardi dolara u Srbiji".
  22. ↑ "Premier Li to open Chinese-built bridge in Belgrade". China Network Television. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2019– via news.xinhuanet.com.
  23. ↑ "Er Srbija od januara leti za Šangaj". 8 October 2024.
  24. ↑ "Air Serbia to launch direct flights to Guangzhou on 30 September". 26 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Er Srbija od januara leti za Šangaj". 8 October 2024.
  26. ↑ "Air Serbia to launch direct flights to Guangzhou on 30 September". 26 June 2024.
  27. ↑ "Botched Belt and Road project triggers political crisis in Serbia". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  28. ↑ "Who are the Chinese companies that are modernizing Belgrade-Budapest railroad?". Serbian Monitor. 4 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "Chinese company refused to check the stability of the station in Novi Sad!". Serbian Times. December 2024.
  30. ↑ "How Chinese companies do business in Serbia?". Serbian Monitor. 4 February 2025.
  31. ↑ "Čuvena lokomotiva kod Železničke stanice dobila novi sjaj, sanirana oštećenja na tri decenije starom eksponatu". blic.rs (in Serbian). 7 March 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "Serbia's largest-ever rally sees 325,000 protest against government". BBC. 15 March 2025.
  33. ↑ "Growing protests pose the most serious challenge yet to Serbia's populist president". ABC News. 13 September 2025.
  34. ↑ "Serbia Continues to Purchase Chinese Equipment with Acquisition of HQ-17AE Air Defense Missile Systems". Defense News security global military army equipment industry. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  35. ↑ Saballa, Joe (8 January 2025). "Serbia First to Deploy China's FK-3 Air Defense System in Europe". The Defense Post. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  36. ↑ Chan, Ryan (30 July 2025). "Chinese Special Forces Train With New Ally in Europe". Newsweek. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  37. ↑ "O nama".
  38. ↑ "Exploring Serbia's Growing Chinese Community: A Window into East-Meets-West Dynamics". 31 August 2023.
  39. ↑ Hopkins, Valerie (17 June 2020). "Pandemic and EU neglect tighten Serbia bonds with China". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
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