{"id":231,"date":"2026-05-25T07:23:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beogradskiforum.rs\/global\/?p=231"},"modified":"2026-06-01T07:44:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T07:44:12","slug":"serbia-china-upgrading-strategic-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beogradskiforum.rs\/global\/2026\/05\/25\/serbia-china-upgrading-strategic-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"Serbia & China \u2013 Upgrading strategic partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Interview by Zivadin Jovanovic<\/strong> for Xinhua News Agency<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you view the timing of President Vu\u010di\u0107\u2019s visit to China following the visits by the leaders of the United States and Russia? What symbolic significance and practical implications do you believe this visit carries?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Serbia and China have been closest friends ever since. In the new era, they have become comprehensive strategic partners, building a community of shared future. The nature of relations is reflected in multi-facet cooperation in bilateral and multilateral fields, within the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-CEEC framework.
Our cooperation comprises almost all fields of development – industry, mining, infrastructure, energy, education, science, new technologies, culture, tourism, all the way to security and defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symbolically, Serbia and China are “Steel Friends”. The core of our friendship comes from mutual respect and mutual trust. Serbia and China are good examples of how a medium-sized European country and one global power, oldest civilization, can develop win-win cooperation, respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and equality. Practically, their cooperation is centered around upgrading living standards of their people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that the forthcoming talks of President Vucic and President Xi will result in new strategic agreements in the fields of investment, further modernization of Serbia’s infrastructure, industry, implementation of AI, robotization, as well as in people to people exchange.
The talks in Beijing will be a rare opportunity for Serbia to be placed in the current global landscape, perspectives of peace and stability, and progress in building the New Multipolar World Order. This, by all means, is essentially important for a realistic assessment of own positions and the best protection of essential national interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following President Vu\u010di\u0107\u2019s visit to China in September last year, he is now preparing for another visit this year. How would you assess the development of bilateral relations over the past year, and what expectations do you have for this upcoming visit?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The past year has marked extraordinary achievements in bilateral and multilateral Serbia-China cooperation. Completing construction of Serbia’s part (about 189km) of the Belgrade-Budapest high speed railway (about 379 km) is a unique success of Chinese and Serbian constructors. It has also been a year of progressive implementation of Free Trade Agreement, which contributed to the fast growth of trade, particularly of Serbia’s exports to China. The volume of bilateral trade in 2025 amounted to 10,7 billion euros. With a cumulative investment of 7,3 bn. Euro, China is the second biggest investor in Serbia (after EU). Chinese companies HBIS HeSteel, Zijin Co., and Zijin Copper Co. remained the leading exporters from Serbia. This year, the first train linked Serbia and the Province of Hebei directly. Free trade agreement, which came into force a year ago, benefited greately Serbia’s farmers, producers, and exporters of high quality meat, vines, and spirits. With an investment of 7,3 bn Euro.
Serbia has established direct intensive cooperation with a number of Chinese Privinces, such as Hebey (metalurgy), Shandong (auto-industry, green energy), Guangdong (transfer of technology), Shandong (highways), and so on. Hebei’s governor Vang Jengpu has recently visited Serbia, witnessing the signing of a number of new cooperation agreements.
The two countries also continued intensive cooperation within UN and other international forums, supporting the rule of international law, democratization of international relations, and multilateralism. China supports Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, on respect and implementation of UN SC resolution 1244 and Dayton Peace Agreement, and Serbia supports policy of One China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forthcoming talks of our two presidents will give an opportunity to reaffirm and reinforce the vision for strengthening a strategic comprehensive partnership in building a community of a common future for the new era. About 30 new agreements are expected to be concluded during the visit covering cooperation for further modernization of infrastructure and industry, transfer of modern technologies, and other fields. The first factory producing robots is expected to start production before the end of this year in the City of \u0160absc. Construction of the new highway “Karadjordje”, linking capital City of Belgrade with major cities in the region of Sumadija, valued at 1,3 bn. euro has been recently entrusted to Shandibg Construction Co.
Modern technologies, competitiveness, green development standards, and highest quality are common denominators and expectations from Serbia-China cooperation, in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you view Serbia\u2019s relations with China, the United States, and Russia, as well as President Xi Jinping\u2019s recent characterization of China\u2013U.S. relations? How would you define Serbia\u2019s position among these major powers? In the current global environment, what kind of bilateral and great-power relations does Serbia seek?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a country situated between East and West, between the “Three Seas”, with distinct historic heritage and culture, being geostrategic cross-roads to all key directions, Serbia’s best suited policy has been so far and, in my opinion, should be pursued in the future – balanced relation with all major world powers. Of course, it may never be completely attainable, but this should not be the reason to ignore geography, culture, or history.
The fact that Serbia and Serban nation, as a whole, have in recent history been victim of NATO expoansion, abuse of separatism, terorism, satanization and even, blutant military aggressins (1995, 1999) emanated from the so called “international community” headed by USA, the need to correct, resolve and remove prolonged injustices and consequences do not qustion the logic of balanced policy, but rather – demand its continuity. Unresolved question of the future status of Serbia’s Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija still remains on the UN SC agenda, where China and Russia fully support solution based on SC resolution 1244, while three western permanent SC members (USA, GB, France) support illegal unilateral secession. I personally do believe that evolution of global relations and building of the new multipolar World Order will finally enable consensus on this vital issue of Serbia’s see, based on the UN Charter and SC resolution 1244.
Serbia’s relations with China and Russia are based on mutual trust, respect, noninterference, mutual support and win win cooperation. All three countries are strategic partners one to the others. Russia and China support Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, what Serbia considers to be of paramount importance. Strategic partnerships with China and Russia are essential components of Serbia’s balanced and stable international standing. Economic cooperation and direct investments from China help modernization of Serbia’s economy, high rate of growth, and avoiding the trap of overwhelming dependance from the West. On the other side, at the time of dramatic energy supply crisis, Russia has proved to be stable and reliable gas supplier of Serbia with favorable prices, thus contributing to competetiveness of Serbia’s goods.
Serbia maintains good relations and cooperation with USA. Prominent USA companies have been investing in important projects in Serbia, construction companies engamutusllx benged in modernization of infrastructure. Certain prejudices from the past administrations, however, continue to persist in Washington. Our relations and cooperation could reach a much higher level and be much more mutually beneficial, if Washington leaves behind past prejudices and starts treating Serbia as a sovereign, independent, neutral country, open partner of stable convictions and principles hummerred out through long history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you perceive today\u2019s China, the United States, and Europe? In your view, what are the most distinctive characteristics of contemporary China, and what unique role can China play in today\u2019s world?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

China has become a power house of global stability, peace, and prosperity. Continuous strategic initiatives of the President Xi, beginning with the Global Development Initiative Belt and Road, of 2013, up to the new ones on peace, security, civilization, stability, and others – witness this. What really matters is that these initiatives never ended as mere proclamations but rather, always have been steadily pursued by the Chinese Government and the world largest and trustworthy diplomacy, till real deeds are reached.
China is a leading country in building new, just, inclusive, democratic multi-polar World Order supported by the global majority. New integrations, organizations and institutions, such as BRIKS+, SCO, EAEU, NDB and other, have been established to follow, coordinate and implement common strategy of inclusive governance promoted by China.
Pursuing the policy of sicialism with Chinese characteristics, reform and openness, China has achieved unprecedented socio-economic development, eliminating poverty, becoming second strongest world economy and number one contributor to the global GDP growth.
China has become a symbol of win win international cooperation which has been worldwide perceived as antithetical to the neocolonial practices. Result? China has become worldwide desirable win win cooperation partner. This, of course, is extraordinary success and recognition, but not less responsibility.
China impresses me by many historic achievements in all fields of life and development, but I cherish especially leadership’s sensibility and ability to combine and unite the best of people’s, cultural, family, and moral traditions with the most modern strives, paterns and challenges.
As for the West, in spite of general instability, uncertainty, ideological, loss of vision and self-confidence, political, class, moral and other divisions, all if them still calculate that global changes could be stopped, reversed, that they can, one way or the other, safeguard privileges gained over centuries of colonialism and neocolonialism. In this regard, political elites of particular regions of the West, USA and Europe, for example, may differ on the ways and means how to prevent incoming multipolar World Order, but certainly not about giving up strategy of domination. Here arises great danger of provoking global conflict, not excluding even nuclear. Great privileges are at stake, new unprecedented arms race is going on, calculations when Germany, Europe, EU, NATO, and “New BATO” will be ready to start the war, have become masters of public statements of the highest European leaders.
Europe is no. 1 loser in all of current conflicts in Ukraine and the South West Asia (Near East). Europe is losing financially, development-wise, technologically, morally, and strategically. They have been lured to confront Russia by Obama and Biden. Now that Trump has changed priorities to Indo-Pacific, European leadership, not only continues old Biden’s approach, but intensifies comprehensive militarisation, including budgeting close to one trillion euro for military needs over period of 3-4 years! Who can predict economic, social, political, and other consequences of such diversion of enormous capital? The European leaders count to provoke, or ignore Trump, or count that he will be replaced some alike Biden?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a senior diplomat and scholar, how do you view the future trajectory of the international order? What roles do you believe China and Serbia can play in shaping the future global landscape?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I have already touched upon the issue of trajectory. There are many unknown and many “ifs”. One however, should be clear – present political leadership if the whole West, particularly that of Europe, core of neocolonial background and firnation, cannot and will not abundan own and interests of the “golden billion”, voluntarily.
Serbia and China should keep an intensive, continuous exchange. Serbia may be considered the bridge between East and West, particularly the bridge of Euro-Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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