China has ratified an extradition treaty with Serbia, expanding its network of European countries willing to extradite Chinese nationals, including dissidents, asylum seekers, and even Taiwanese individuals.
The formal approval came from China’s highest legislative body one year after President Xi Jinping’s visit to Serbia, during which 29 agreements were signed, including the extradition treaty. Once ratified by the Serbian Parliament, the pact will allow both countries to request the extradition of wanted individuals within each other’s borders.
Concerns Over Human Rights
China has signed extradition treaties with at least 60 countries, with over half currently in force. However, European courts can still block Beijing’s extradition requests despite bilateral agreements. In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights blocked Poland’s attempt to extradite a suspected Taiwanese criminal to China, citing risk of mistreatment in Chinese detention.
While China states that extraditions are used to pursue fugitives, combat corruption, and recover stolen assets through operations like the widely publicized “Fox Hunt” and “Sky Net”, critics warn that such agreements threaten dissidents and asylum seekers.
Expanding Chinese Policing Presence
China has also sought to increase its policing presence in Serbia, sending public security officers in 2019 and 2023 to conduct joint month-long patrols with local forces.
Hungary has similarly signed a law enforcement pact with China in February 2024 and negotiated another extradition agreement in July 2025, sparking criticism from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who called it a “backdoor for foreign interference”.
Strategic and Economic Context
The treaties coincide with strengthened bilateral ties between China, Serbia, and Hungary, highlighted by participation in Beijing’s recent WWII military parade. China’s growing economic footprint in the region—including investments by battery producer CATL and car manufacturer BYD in Hungary—is a key motivator for these agreements. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić noted that China has been Serbia’s largest investor since 2020, with investments increasing 30-fold over the past decade.
