China's Xi Jinping to visit Serbia on anniversary of 1999 NATO bombing

A woman passes by a Serbian national flag that reads “Republic of Serbia” and a Chinese national flag ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit, in Belgrade, Serbia, May 7, 2024. REUTERS/Zorana Jevtic

By Aleksandar Vasovic and Daria Sito-Sucic

BELGRADE (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to land in Serbia on Tuesday on the 25th anniversary of the accidental NATO bombing of China’s Embassy in which three Chinese journalists were killed, the second stop of his first European tour in five years.

Twenty Chinese nationals were wounded in the 1999 NATO attack, which prompted outrage in China and an apology from then U.S. President Bill Clinton.

The embassy was hit during a campaign against the then Yugoslavia to force late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic to end a crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.

“The Chinese people appreciate the peace but will never allow that a historic tragedy repeats itself,” Xi said in an opinion article in the daily Politika on Tuesday.

“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,” Xi said.

The streets of Belgrade were decorated with Chinese flags and placards as thousands of police officers were deployed to secure Xi and his 400-member entourage.

IRONCLAD FRIENDSHIP

Xi is visiting Serbia after France, where President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen pressed him to ensure more balanced trade with Europe and use his influence on Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Xi is expected to discuss China´s multi-billion investment in Serbia and possible new deals.

During his first visit to Belgrade in 2016, the two countries signed a strategic partnership. Last year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed 18 agreements with Xi in Beijing, including a free trade deal that should become operational in July.

The two leaders talk about an ironclad partnership between their countries. Along with Hungary, which is Xi´s next stop, Serbia is Europe’s firmest supporter of the China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

China runs mines and factories across Serbia and has lent billions for roads, bridges and new facilities, becoming its key partner in much-needed infrastructure development.

Observers say Xi’s choice of Serbia and Hungary is designed to pull closer two European countries that arepro-Russia and large recipients of Chinese investment. Serbia’s Western partners view the country as a Chinese hub at the gateway to the EU.

In 2023, China was Serbia’s second-largest trading partner after the EU with a total trade exchange of $6.1 billion and among the top five investors, according to the latest figures by the national investment agency.

(Writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by)