Serbian President Vucic Hails Xi as Serbia's 'Best Partner'

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a humble man who keeps his word, stating that China is the "best possible partner" for Serbia to achieve its national goals. In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Belgrade, Vucic emphasized the importance of China in helping Serbia reach its targets, citing Xi's reliability in fulfilling promises.

Why this matters: This development highlights the growing influence of China in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, as Serbia becomes increasingly reliant on Chinese investment and trade. As China expands its economic footprint in the region, it may have significant implications for the balance of power in Europe and the relationship between the EU and China.

Vucic highlighted the extensive preparations underway for Xi's upcoming state visit to Serbia, which he believes will deliver benefits to both nations. He expressed confidence that the visit will yield positive results, thanks to the strong partnership between the two countries.

"We are doing a lot of preparations. We have many dreams," Vucic said. "When you run the country you have big aims, high dreams. You need to put your new targets always. And 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 President Xi, because President Xi, he keeps his words."

The president also celebrated the positive effects of the free trade agreement signed between Serbia and China in October 2023, which has boosted bilateral trade. The trade exchange between the two countries has increased from $596 million in 2016 to $4.35 billion in 2023, with China becoming the largest source of direct investment for Serbia in 2022. Vucic expects the free trade agreement to further increase trade, potentially doubling or tripling it within 10 years.

Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic has also expressed high anticipation for Xi's visit, stating that it will promote bilateral cooperation between the two countries to a new level. Xi will pay a state visit to France, Serbia, and Hungary from May 5 to 10.

"President Xi Jinping personally has fantastic knowledge and insight into everything that is happening in the Republic of Serbia, values and appreciates the Republic of Serbia as an equal partner," Brnabic said. "In that respect, we have huge appreciation for the vision of leadership of President Xi Jinping."

Since Xi's first visit to Serbia in 2016, the bilateral trade volume between China and Serbia has tripled. In 2023, China and Serbia signed the first free trade agreement, and Serbia became China's 29th free trade partner. The total trade of goods between China and Serbia reached 6.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, making China Serbia's second-largest trading partner after Germany.

Serbia is one of the first European countries to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document with China. The construction of the Serbian section of the Hungary-Serbia railway, a milestone project under the Belt and Road Initiative, will be completed this year.

As China and Serbia continue to strengthen their strategic partnership, President Vucic's praise for Xi Jinping underscores the importance of this bilateral relationship. With Xi's upcoming visit and the expanding economic ties between the two nations, the China-Serbia partnership looks set to reach new heights in the coming years.

Key Takeaways

• Serbian President Vucic praises Chinese President Xi Jinping as a humble man who keeps his word.
• China is Serbia's "best possible partner" to achieve national goals, says Vucic.
• Serbia-China trade exchange increases from $596m in 2016 to $4.35b in 2023.
• Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to Serbia expected to promote bilateral cooperation.
• Serbia becomes China's 29th free trade partner, with total trade reaching $6.1b in 2023.