Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has sent fresh signals of Belgrade’s increasingly pronounced orientation toward China, praising cooperation with Beijing while criticizing the economic policies of the European Union.
In an interview with Bloomberg following his return from Beijing, where Serbia secured promises of more than $1 billion in investments, Vučić argued that Europe is facing serious economic challenges due to low productivity and protectionist policies.
“Protectionism is ultimately killing Europe,” he said, arguing that trade barriers are complicating the flow of investment between Europe, China, and the United States.
The Serbian president’s remarks come at a time when Serbia continues to strengthen its economic and strategic partnership with China. In recent years, Chinese investments in Serbia have grown significantly, turning the country into one of Beijing’s key gateways into Europe and the Western Balkans.
According to Bloomberg, Chinese investments in Serbia are now approaching the level of those coming from the European Union, despite EU membership officially remaining Belgrade’s strategic goal.
However, while Serbia continues to declare its commitment to European integration, the deepening of its cooperation with China and Vučić’s repeated criticism of Brussels’ policies have fueled debate over the true direction of Serbia’s foreign policy.
“We will do our part regarding the EU criteria. But in the meantime, we must take care of ourselves. We cannot wait forever,” Vučić said.
He also argued that European leaders should make bolder decisions on enlargement, stating that candidate countries cannot remain indefinitely in the EU waiting room.
During his more than a decade in power, Vučić has overseen a steady expansion of Serbia’s ties with China. Chinese state-owned companies have become involved in major infrastructure, energy, mining, and industrial projects across the country, while political relations between Belgrade and Beijing have grown increasingly close.
The latest statements from Vučić reflect Serbia’s continued balancing act between its stated ambition of joining the European Union and its rapidly expanding partnership with China, which is playing an increasingly influential role in the country’s economic development and strategic positioning.
As Serbia strengthens its ties with Beijing while expressing growing frustration with the pace of EU enlargement, questions continue to emerge about whether Belgrade’s strategic future lies primarily within the European bloc or in its expanding partnerships with global powers such as China.
