China and Serbia agreed to follow a "shared future" as President Xi Jinping visited the Balkan country as part of his bid to forge stronger relations with allies at the edge of the European Union.

Belgrade

China and Serbia have pledged to share a common future, as Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a visit to the Balkan nation, signaling a deeper attempt to cement relationships with allies on the periphery of the European Union. This visit, part of Xi’s first European tour in five years, is aimed at bolstering ties with Eastern European countries known for their pro-Russian stance and significant receipt of Chinese investments. 

Upon arriving, President Xi was warmly welcomed with traditional Serbian hospitality, including children presenting flowers and a local dance performance. The visiting Chinese leader, alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, was met by enthusiastic crowds in the capital, underlining the strong ties between the two nations. Highlighting the scope of Sino-Serbian relations, Vucic observed that China has emerged as Serbia’s top investor since 2020, with investments increased by thirty times over the last decade.

The two countries have previously declared their commitment to each other through a strategic partnership initiated during Xi’s 2016 visit to Serbia. Furthermore, in a move to enhance their economic bond, Serbia signed 18 agreements with China last year, including a free trade deal set to commence. Xi recounted the significant mutual trust and cooperation existing between China and Serbia, describing their friendship as "rock solid" and "everlasting."

During Xi’s visit, more than twenty agreements were signed to support legal, regulatory, and economic cooperation, reflecting the two leaders’ dedication to uphold each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. These agreements underscore a mutual recognition of sensitive territorial issues, with Serbia acknowledging Taiwan as part of China and China recognizing Kosovo as part of Serbia.

Xi's visit is also noteworthy as it coincides with the commemoration of the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, an event that strained China-U.S. relations. This historical backdrop plays into the broader context of Serbia and China moving from strategic relations towards forming a community envisioning a shared future, as articulated by Vucic. 

China’s influence in Serbia is evident through its ownership of mines and factories, and its investment in infrastructure development, highlighting Serbia’s key partnership in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The Chinese president concluded his European visit in Serbia, having left France prior, where discussions touched on trade and foreign policy but resulted in no significant concessions.



China and Serbia chart a 'shared future' with Xi in Europe

China and Serbia agreed to follow a shared future as President Xi Jinping visited the Balkan country on Wednesday. Xi is on his first tour of Europe in five years, seen as an effort to strengthen ties with Eastern European countries that are pro-Russian and large recipients of Chinese investment. The president of the world's number two economy was greeted on the tarmac by children who handed out flowers, as well as a traditional Serbian dance performance. Belgrade's streets were decorated with Chinese flags, and Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic were greeted by a cheering crowd in front of the presidential palace. Since 2020, China has been the single largest investor in Serbia, Vucic said, an investment that's up 30-fold over the past decade. During Xi's first visit to Belgrade in 2016, the two countries signed a strategic partnership. Last year, Vucic signed 18 agreements with Xi in Beijing, including a free trade deal that comes into effect on July 1st. At a press conference with Vucic, Xi said the two countries share deep connections. China and Serbia are true friends, and good partners. Political mutual trust between the two countries is rock solid. Pragmatic cooperation, institutional upgrading, and multilateral coordination are close and smooth, and hardcore friendship is everlasting. More than two dozen agreements were signed during this visit, promoting legal, regulatory and economic cooperation, and both leaders said they would support each other's sovereign team and territorial integrity, meaning that Serbia considers Taiwan, viewed by Beijing as a breakaway province, to be part of China, just as China considers Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, as part of Serbia. Vucic said Serbia and China are moving from strategic relations to, quote, a community that talks about the shared future of our two countries. China owns mines and factories across Serbia, and has lent it billions for roads, bridges and new facilities, becoming the country's key partner in much-needed infrastructure development. Xi's visit coincides with the anniversary of the accidental 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. It killed three Chinese journalists and wounded 20 Chinese nationals. It sparked outrage in China, and an apology from then-U.S. President Bill Clinton. Along with Hungary, Serbia is Europe's firmest supporter of China's huge belt and road infrastructure project, which stretches across parts of Asia and Europe. The Chinese president had left France on Tuesday after a two-day trip where he offered no major concessions on trade or foreign policy. Xi departed Wednesday evening for Hungary.

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