2024: a stellar year for China-Serbia collaboration

Relations between China and Serbia have been described by many as being at their best level ever, with the two countries enjoying excellent diplomatic ties, mutual coordination and support in the international arena. 

Chinese investments are continuing into the booming Serbian economy and Serbian exports to China are steadily growing. Bearing that in mind, it was no wonder that Serbia was on the visit list of Chinese President Xi Jinping during his 2024 European tour. 

In addition, Chinese banks and companies are actively working on the development of various infrastructure projects across Serbia. 

One of the most important of these is a railroad from Belgrade to the north of the country, near the border with Hungary. A part of it has been operating for almost two years now, facilitating thousands of trains and millions of passengers, and it was mostly built by Chinese companies. 

The network reaches Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, but very soon trains will travel to the Hungarian border and in a couple of years to Budapest as well. 

This is just one case of China-Serbia successful collaboration. Other examples include a tire production company, a steel mill, a copper mine and highway construction. 

The visit of President Xi in May 2024 to Belgrade was another example of the so-called "ironclad friendship" between the two countries. Over 30 agreements were signed during his second visit to Serbia in the past eight years. 

Milestones

The plan will not stop with those agreements, with the foundation laid for new milestones, as Nikola Stojanović, a State Secretary of the Serbian MFA, told CGTN.

He said: "2024 marks a year when we have started implementing a free trade agreement between our two countries. In 2024, China has become the number one foreign investor in Serbia. Chinese companies continue to participate and play a major role in our economic modernisation. 

"They play a significant role in our infrastructural projects, transport projects, and energy projects."

It is not just the economy that connects the two countries. Both countries work hand in hand with regard to many international political issues and support each other.

"I believe that the year of 2024 will be recorded in the history of China-Serbia relations." Li Ming, China's ambassador to Serbia told CGTN in an exclusive interview. "China and Serbia have established a community for a shared future. Serbia has become the first country in Europe that has established such high-level relations with China."

Finally, during 2024, a lot of attention was dedicated to the countries' people-to-people exchange. The most visible form of that dedication was opening several more direct flights between Serbia and China, including flights to Belgrade from Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. 

But as much as 2024 was successful for both countries, they have set the bar for 2025 even higher.