Vučić flies to Beijing for $1.1bn Chinese investment while Belgrade burns
May 27, 2026 – 11:45 am
Image by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs People’s Republic of China
China announces a $1.1bn package covering AI, robotics, and electric vehicle manufacturing in Serbia, just days after tens of thousands protest in Belgrade demanding early elections.
On Saturday, an estimated 34,300 protesters filled the centre of Belgrade, demanding early elections, accountability for a deadly railway station collapse, and an end to state capture allegations. Riot police responded with pepper spray, and trains into the city were cancelled. President Aleksandar Vučić blamed "foreign powers" for the unrest.
Three days later, Vučić was in Beijing signing over 20 cooperation agreements with Xi Jinping, including the aforementioned $1.1bn investment package. This investment, on top of a $1.5bn highway contract already underway, involves:
- Artificial intelligence infrastructure
- Robotics joint ventures
- Electric vehicle manufacturing capacity in Serbia
This strategic move comes as a government facing sustained protests demonstrates its alternative options to Brussels.
The European Union, as an EU candidate state, holds formal leverage over Serbia through the accession framework regarding judicial independence, media freedom, and electoral integrity. However, these levers have produced limited results, with structural concerns raised by student movements and European Commission reports for years.
While China’s early 2020s investments focused on infrastructure, the 2026 version targets "new productive forces": AI, robotics, EVs, and green tech. A Chinese-built data centre in Serbia would integrate Chinese hardware, software, standards, and supply chain governance.