During his first trip to Europe in five years, Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to build bridges with France and the European Union. However, he also took the opportunity to condemn the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in 1999. Xi’s statement, published in a Serbian newspaper just before his state visit to Serbia, highlighted the significance of the attack anniversary.
Xi’s European tour began in France, where he met with French President Macron and European Commission President Von der Leyen. Following this, they traveled to the Pyrenees, a significant place for Macron as it is associated with his childhood. The visit to the Hautes-Pyrénées department was intended to establish a personal connection between Macron and Xi.
After the more intimate Pyrenean break, Xi planned to travel to Serbia and Hungary, two key partners for China in the region. Both countries are involved in Beijing’s New Silk Road initiative, and Hungary has been supportive of China’s trade claims in the EU. Xi aimed to strengthen ties with these countries and address issues such as trade tensions with the European Union.
During his visit to Europe, Macron and Xi called for an “Olympic truce” to apply to wars during the Paris Olympic Games. Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and trade tensions, both leaders emphasized harmony and cooperation. Xi’s European visit highlighted China’s efforts to strengthen its relationships with key partners in the region while condemning past wrongdoings committed by other countries against Chinese interests.
The NATO bombing of China’s embassy in Belgrade was a significant event that left deep scars on Chinese-Western relations. Despite this incident happening years ago, China still feels strongly about it and continues to denounce it as a barbaric crime committed by NATO forces.
China’s relationship with Serbia is one that goes back many years and is built on mutual respect and understanding between their respective peoples.
Macron’s childhood memories bring him closer emotionally to Serbia than any other country in Europe.
The visit was also an opportunity for Xi Jinping to express gratitude towards Hungary for its support towards China’s economic development.
In conclusion, Xi Jinping’s visit was not only important diplomatically but also culturally as it provided an opportunity for him