China–Serbia relations

1990 to present

China supported the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War and opposed the NATO airstrikes against targets in Serbia and Montenegro.^[2] China believed that Milošević was acting to prevent the secession of Kosovo by Albanian separatists from the FRY, and thus supported his actions as preserving the FRY's territorial integrity.^[3] 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.^[3] PRC opposition to the NATO actions intensified after the United States bombed the PRC's embassy in Belgrade during the war.^[2]

Under president Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia has sought closer cooperation with China.^[4] After meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, he secured Chinese help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia through delivery of PPE and CoronaVac vaccine doses,^[5] which has contributed to Serbia leading COVID-19 vaccination rates in Europe.^[6][7] China has invested US$10 billion in Serbian infrastructure and energy including projects such as the Budapest–Belgrade railway. Chinese Hesteel Group took over the struggling Smederevo steel plant, keeping 5,000 Serbians employed.^[8]

In July 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.^[9][10] Serbia was one of 16 countries that defended China in 2019 but did not do so in 2020.^[11]

As of at least 2024, Serbia continues to be one of the major supporters of China's Belt and Road Initiative.^[12]

In advance of the 25th anniversary of the United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Chinese President 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."^[12]

China backs Serbia's position regarding Kosovo. The PR Chinese Foreign Ministry 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."^[13][14]

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić told reporters after a 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."^[15] Ambassador of China to Serbia, Wei Jinghua, stated in June 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."^[16]

On 18 December 2014, Premier Li Keqiang visited Serbia and attended the opening ceremony of Pupin Bridge.^[17]

In 2016, Serbia and China signed a strategic partnership agreement.^[12]

During a 2023 visit by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to Beijing, Serbia and China signed 18 agreements including a free trade agreement.^[12]

In January 2024, China and Serbia signed a memorandum of understanding for China to invest 2 billion euros to build a wind farm, solar plant, and hydrogen plant in Serbia.^[18] The investment is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative.^[18]

Educational and cultural cooperation between the two countries is being maintained under the interstate Agreement on cultural cooperation that was concluded in Beijing on 7 June 1957.^{[citation needed]}

The Confucius Institute in Belgrade has opened on August, 2006 by Tang Jiaxuan.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2020 Slobodan Trkulja held a concert on Kalemegdan in support of Chinese people and victims of coronavirus 2 from Wuhan.^[19]

Serbia was the first European country to approve the use of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by China, Sinopharm.^[20]: 169 Serbia also agreed to build a factory to produce Sinopharm itself.^[20]: 169

Serbia and China signed an important strategic partnership agreement in August 2009.^[21] The agreement has ten points and covers wide array of subjects including the mutual respect of territorial integrity, plans for trade development as well as cultural, technological and scientific exchange.^[22]

• Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China
• Foreign relations of Serbia
• Chinese people in Serbia
• China–Yugoslavia relations

• Chinese Foreign Ministry about relations with Serbia
• Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with China Archived 2012-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
• Serbian embassy in Beijing