China and Serbia: An ‘ironclad’ relationship? | DW News

now China’s president is getting the red carpet treatment in Serbia on the second leg of his European tour xiin ping has been meeting with his Serbian counterpart Alexander vuic in Belgrade Beijing has invested billions of Euros in Mining and Manufacturing in Serbia and G’s visit is being seen as an opportunity to deepen political and economic ties between the two Nations Belgrade and Beijing describe their relationship as Ironclad relations with China have intensified since vu’s serian Progressive Party came to power 12 years ago if we can reach these new aims new targets new goals the best possible partner for that has always been and it will always be People’s Republic of China and it’s presiden C because presidency he keeps his word I see him as just a regular humble modest man but which is not promising a lot but when he promises something then he fulfills that during xi’s first visit in 2016 the two countries signed a strategic partnership a year ago they finalized a Free Trade Agreement China is Serbia’s second most important economic partner behind the EU but Beijing is its single largest investor with more than 1 billion EUR in direct Investments International organizations have described many of China’s business interests with Serbia as non-transparent drawing heavy criticism from the EU something which is seen as damaging to Serbia’s hopes of joining the block China is interesting to Serbia because it can very easily and efficiently provide funds for much needed processes such as infrastructural development job growth and the preservation of some old industrial complexes so it does Business Without too many conditions cooperation with China is not necessarily related to the rule of law nor does it respect Environmental Protection standards or in certain cases the rights of workers on the other hand Serbia gives China the perfect opportunity to promote its Global belt and Road initiative and it offers some access to Europe one main point they agree on is the principle of territorial Integrity in accordance with International laws because both countries face exceptional challenges when it comes to territorial Integrity for China it is Taiwan and some other territorial disputes for Serbia it is the relationship between Belgrade and Pristina and the status of Kosovo as an independent state three of the largest Chinese exporters cin mining cin copper and hbis group in Serbia are often criticized for infringing Environmental Protection standards but that’s not expected to be on the agenda during the president’s visit the focus is expected to be on culture C Al cooperation she’s arrival coincides with the 25th anniversary of the US bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade the incident took place during NATO’s aerial campaign during the covo war Washington apologized saying it was an accident but many in China still believe the bombing was deliberate a Chinese Cultural Center has been built on the site where that Embassy used to stand it’s expected to officially open during she’s visit and joining us now from Belgrade is our correspondent SAA kich from DW Europe SAA tell us what’s been uh going on there well right now um there is ongoing meeting between two presidents right in this building behind me that’s a palace of Serbia around 10:00 there was official ceremony that uh where a lot of people actually welcome the Chinese president uh we saw from this morning a lot of bses uh come coming from all around the Serbia full of people that came here to to welcome the the the present SE and at some point after the official ceremony two presidents went to the balcony of the palace uh and greeted the people on that occasion president C said that he is really uh honored and touched and impressed by the warm welcome from Serbian people and uh once again underline how important how important it is the the friendship that is has been on going um um between Serbia and China uh president vui was thanking those people that came to uh to greet the the president uh and said that today there will be a lot of agreements that will um uh bring the cooperation between the two countries on even higher level okay now we know that Serbia wants to join the EU but with such a close relationship with China as we said Beijing is is its single largest investment could those ties somehow get in the way of Serbia’s chances of joining the EU Serbia is officially uh both on West and East uh normally um uh experts are describing it like that although official goal of Serbian country is to join uh EU on the other hand Serbia is not giving up on close relations with Russia and with China relations with China um uh were uh strengthening in last 12 years actually uh since Serbian Progressive Party um came into power and since then we can see a lot more uh money coming from um from the Chinese side and uh there are a lot of critiques uh on that cooperation coming from EU and international organizations saying that uh agreements between Serbia and China on business level um are quite non-transparent and full of room for for uh for corruption uh but on the other uh side Serbia likes uh so to say getting uh money from Chinese side because that’s loans and um funds where that are coming in without a lot of conditions unlike uh from EU side and that’s the money that Serbia is mostly spending in uh infrastructure investing in infrastructure um and uh of course in uh in companies like mining companies where we have a lot of critiques from you side again um when it comes to environmental standards all right DW Sonia clich in Belgrade thank you Sonia

Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Serbia for the second time in less than ten years. Along with Budapest and Paris, Belgrade is one of the stops on the Chinese president’s European tour. China has invested billions of euros in mining and manufacturing in Serbia – and Xi’s visit is being seen as an opportunity to deepen political and economic ties between the two nations. What is China and Serbia’s “steel friendship” based on?

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41 comments

  1. He caused all this war trying to shove all their “goods” down the world’s throats and canceling out our dollar for their privately traded yen.

  3. It's funny that we wanted to join the European Union until 2008, but since then we can't stop being candidates for the European Union because Europe will punish us economically, but at the same time, that same Europe doesn't want us, but just to stand in front of the door like orphans and now they protest that we in Serbia do not want a slave-owning Europe in our country at all

  4. China offers Serbia a chance to modernize their economy, while the US offers them 78 days of continuous bombing … let's see … which choice is best … DUH!

  5. I don't want to express my opinion on the EU and its complexity and the different interests, but the chinese way and american way to make business was once nice described in a context over investments in South America and Africa. The USA is delivering better quality, but for a humongous price. They have no interest that you can pay of your debt and want only to sell you something. Where China positioned itself as a good partner, who has no interest to slaves you and is a faire partner. The difference lies in the mentality. China goes for the long goal and USA for the all mighty dollar.

  7. The relationship!"BUY NOW PAY LATER" That what China tell to Serbia! Serbia says " Give me money" and I'll vote for you in The UN! China respond "OK but dont tell the US and the money is a loan not a gift"

  9. West Country (USA, EU and NATO ) :
    Brings troops, bombs, weapons and kills.
    China (Belt and Road Initiative ) :
    Bringing engineers for development, money and a better life.

  13. The Serbian President is very smart. He publicly requested China build train and electric car factories in Serbia .China will find it hard to turn down this request to an ironclad friend .These are factories for the future and thus quarantee a future for his people.

  14. Europe needs Serbia? IF you dont need us, we have friends… actually world is much larger place then westerners imagine. We are part of european heritage and we live on european ways, but we are independent country and not obliged to follow agenda. We have some strong allies around like Victor Orban Hungary. Independent countries prestige will just grow up with time as west is declining. As `world majority` prefers cooperation with such countries and with such political ethos.

  16. The western corporations are much worse in the environmental un-protection in the foreign countries so do not preach to Chinese. Australian Rio Tinto is planing to obliterate Serbian lands and water and we are fighting to avert them. Moreover, this deliberate pollution by the western corporations has an obvious geo-strategic agenda.

  17. 中国男子足球历史上唯一进世界杯，就是塞尔维亚的教练博拉·米卢蒂诺维奇。。。国家访问，似乎应该去发个奖章之类。

  19. 05:07 till the end of the video – the video editor forgot to remove this little window in the very upper-right corner of the screen. Bad bad.

  21. Historically, the Chinese have opened the way to commerce instead of burning and looting. They spread civilization everywhere instead of imposing their own civilization on other peoples. China has a long history, a lot of experience has been verified by history, I hope it can be an example of world peace.

  22. Red Carpet!! Like Serbia, Every free country should extend red carpet to Xi, just to prove they still have a free country!

  24. CO2 emissions per capita in Germany were 8.7 metric ton. In China, the CO2 emissions per capita were 7.8 metric ton. For Serbia, the CO2 emissions per capita were 6.7 metric tons. Before criticising others over environmental standards, Germans should take a serious look at themselves

  27. He keeps his word, lol. This is a Communist, they have control over their people, by Force. How can you trust a Dictator from a Communist Country, they are known to have an agenda of taking what they need at any costs. Let's see what happens.

  29. Since EU openly declared recognition of Kosovo as an independent state to be a condition to Serbia's EU membership, the EU is becoming less interesting and popular in Serbia.

  32. Serbia will be very rich in the next 10 years since China will invest in Serbia tons of money. It doesn't matter if you like the China-Serbia relation, take the opportunity to make a fortune in Serbia while you can.

  35. This is what 'Soft Power' is about. You make friends and build a 'mutually beneficial' relationship with sincerity. Not selling arms in the name of maintaining world peace and order, and using/supporting war(s) to stop war(s). Not enriching one's country through preaching and selling one's idealogy to other countries, only to cause divisions and not helping their economies and standard of living… It is nothing but hipocrisy!

  36. Blessings for year of Wood Dragon 2024 for mining and manufacturing, job growth and sound reasoning. Let's Get Down to Business for common prosperity! Parable of the Talents, Parable of the Sower.

  38. Before saying to much comments, just to write that a week after Xi, guest of Serbia is Olena Zelenski, wife of President of Ukraine…

  39. The purpose of this CCP's trip is: "Divide the European Union and divide the US from Europe".🇺🇸🇪🇺🇬🇧🇯🇵🇦🇺(!

  40. If China was the one that bombed the US Embassy and the President was there to commemorate the anniversary, how do you think DW would be reporting it?

    When Western media no longer holds a mirror to accurately reflect on society and just chooses to paint self-flattering portraits, the West looses sense of reality and can't see how grotesquely disfigured they have become to the rest of the world.

  41. No more fear, no more Chaos.. Serbia is not a Monika Levinsky, believe me.. Game is over.. 🇷🇸🇷🇺🇨🇳❤️ Welcome to the NWO… Sorry..

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