Xi Jinping arrives in Serbia to bolster relations with Europe’s east
- In Reports
- 11:07 AM, May 08, 2024
- Myind Staff
China’s President Xi Jinping landed in Serbia on the second leg of his European tour. His visit aims to strengthen China's ties with the Balkan nation, contrasting with Beijing's more strained relationship with many other European countries.
The Chinese leader arrived in Belgrade on Tuesday night and received a warm welcome from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and most government ministers. Xi's visit to Serbia followed a two-day trip to France, during which he engaged in discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, amidst the European Union's increasingly firm stance on trade relations with China.
In Serbia, Xi's objective will be to enhance both economic and political relations with a nation that has embraced Chinese trade and investment opportunities. Wrapping up his five-day trip, the president will make a final stop in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban stands out among EU leaders for his efforts to forge closer ties with China.
Xi said in a statement after landing in Belgrade that China-Serbia cooperation “serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries.” He added that he looked forward to speaking with Vucic about relations between their nations “and other issues of mutual interest.”
Xi’s visit also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the deadly US bombing of the Chinese embassy during the 1999 NATO operation aimed at pushing Yugoslav troops out of Kosovo. That event, which the White House later called a mistake and blamed on faulty maps, triggered widespread protests in China and cemented a more tense relationship with Washington.
He vowed to “never forget" the bombing in a Tuesday article published in Politika, Serbia’s oldest daily newspaper. “Twenty-five years ago today, NATO flagrantly bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia, killing three Chinese journalists," Xi said.
Without providing further details, Belgrade's government stated that both parties are anticipated to endorse up to 30 agreements.
Meeting with Vucic, Xi’s trip will highlight projects such as the new high-speed railway linking Belgrade to Budapest. Direct Chinese investment in Hungary and Serbia exceeds $15 billion with more coming, ranging from car battery plants in Hungary to copper mining in Serbia.
“We are completely open to Chinese investment," Serbia’s Deputy Premier Sinisa Mali told state broadcaster RTS shortly before Xi’s arrival. “China is one of the two biggest powers in the world and Xi is the most important statesman coming to Serbia in the last several years."
On Monday, Xi also had a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. During their discussion, she told Xi that the EU stands ready to utilise all available means to safeguard its economies in case China does not provide equitable access to its markets. She emphasised the EU's stance that extensively subsidised Chinese goods like electric vehicles and steel are flooding Europe.
Image source: Reuters
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