Serbian President Vučić's First State Visit to China — Xi Declares 'Community with Shared Future' Partnership

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić began his first-ever state visit to China on May 24, 2026, with Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang both receiving him in Beijing. The two sides elevated bilateral relations to a 'China-Serbia community with a shared future' — Beijing's highest tier diplomatic partnership designation. Serbia, a candidate for EU membership but historically close to Russia and now cultivating deeper China ties, has become a key node in China's European diplomacy. China has invested heavily in Serbian infrastructure through BRI, including the high-speed rail project between Belgrade and Budapest and various energy and industrial investments. The visit was framed by Chinese state media (CGTN, ECNS) as evidence of China's growing influence in the Western Balkans. Critics in the EU noted the timing — as EU-China relations were being recalibrated following trade disputes over electric vehicles and solar panels — underscored Serbia's strategic balancing role between Brussels, Beijing, and Moscow.