Chinese Leader Xi Jinping’s Visit to Serbia Coincides with 25th Anniversary of NATO Bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.
On May 7, 1999, during NATO’s air campaign over Kosovo, U.S. jets mistakenly dropped five bombs on the Chinese Embassy compound in Belgrade, Serbia. The attack resulted in the destruction of the embassy building, claiming the lives of three Chinese nationals and injuring twenty others. This tragic incident has cast a shadow over the relationship between the United States and China for the past twenty-five years.
NATO’s military intervention was initiated in March of that year to compel Slobodan Milosevic, then the Serbian leader, to cease his violent crackdown on ethnic Albanian rebels in Kosovo.
The United States issued an apology shortly after the bombing, attributing it to erroneous intelligence. According to U.S. officials, the intended target was the headquarters of a Serbian state arms exporter situated on the same street, several blocks away from the embassy.
Sven Biscop, a professor specializing in European foreign and security policy at Ghent University and the Egmont Institute, remarked that if, hypothetically, an American Embassy were to be struck anywhere in the world, even accidentally, the response would be swift and decisive.
Biscop further emphasized that for a nation like China, the bombing incident holds significant implications, and its memory remains potent. The attack sparked widespread anti-American protests in China, leading to suspicions that it might have been deliberate rather than accidental. This skepticism and resentment surrounding the event continue to linger.
Biscop noted that reaching a definitive conclusion about the incident is unlikely, but it underscores the unfortunate reality that such tragedies can occur in times of conflict. He advocates for simpler explanations rather than convoluted conspiracy theories.
Despite exacerbating tensions between Beijing and Washington, the embassy bombing paradoxically fostered closer ties between China and Serbia. China’s investment in Serbia has soared, making it the country’s primary source of foreign direct investment and its second-largest trading partner after the European Union.
Beijing’s opposition to the NATO bombing campaign remains steadfast, and it has consistently supported Belgrade’s efforts to resist Western-backed initiatives for Kosovo’s independence, a region formerly part of Serbia. In reciprocation, Serbia has aligned itself closely with Beijing, welcoming significant Chinese investments while simultaneously pursuing EU membership.
Ahead of Xi’s visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, visible displays of pro-China sentiment were evident in Belgrade. A large Chinese flag adorned a skyscraper along the main route from the airport into the city, with smaller Chinese and Serbian flags decorating downtown areas and highways.
Xi’s itinerary includes visits to France before arriving in Serbia and subsequently traveling to Hungary, marking his first European tour in half a decade.
During his time in Serbia, Xi is expected to pay homage to the victims of the embassy bombing by visiting the former embassy site. Today, a Chinese cultural center occupies the location where the embassy once stood.
The expansive complex reportedly encompasses a Confucius Institute, workshops, exhibitions, office facilities, residential accommodations, and a hotel. Regarded as a representation of China’s expanding influence in Serbia and throughout Europe, the complex serves as a significant symbol.
Adjacent to the institute, a delegation of visitors from China was observed last weekend paying their respects near a modest black-marble monument. They reverently bowed and placed flowers in memory of the victims of the 1999 bombing. The monument features an inscription in both Chinese and English that reads: “Honor Martyrs, Cherish Peace.