Serbia Receives Over €953 Million in Chinese Investment

Serbia has secured nearly 1 billion euros in new Chinese investment during President Aleksandar Vučić’s state visit to Beijing. Vučić announced this on May 27 after signing several agreements with leading Chinese industrial and automotive companies.

The contracts, with a total value of 953 million euros, were signed with companies including Minth Group, Shanghai Automotive Chassis (SHAC), BMTS Technology, and Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems.

“953 million euros is the total investment volume we agreed upon and signed today. That is an enormous sum for my country,” Vučić wrote on Instagram following the opening of a Chinese-Serbian Youth Cultural Center.

The agreements include investments in Serbia’s automotive supply industry, industrial production, and modern manufacturing technologies. This strengthens Belgrade’s strategy to establish itself as a regional hub for Chinese investment and high-tech industry.

Additional investments were also announced by Linglong Tire and Yusei Holdings.

Vučić explained that discussions with Chinese partners were not limited to industrial production but also encompassed infrastructure, energy, and new technologies. According to him, these projects could trigger “a new economic cycle” in Serbia.

Automotive Industry in the Spotlight

The automotive sector accounts for the largest share of the investment package. Two projects by the Minth Group, with a total value of 226 million euros, are expected to create around 820 jobs in the western Serbian cities of Loznica and Šabac.

SHAC is investing 33.5 million euros in a plant in Novi Sad, while BMTS Technologies is planning an automation-focused investment of 13.3 million euros. Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems intends to invest around 77 million euros in a factory for modern vehicle lighting systems in Niš.

Linglong Tire also announced a 566-million-euro expansion of its existing plant in Zrenjanin. This is expected to create about 400 new jobs. Yusei Holdings plans a 27-million-euro investment in Niš and aims to create around 280 jobs there.

During his stay in China, Vučić also visited the Minth Group’s innovation center. He emphasized that Serbia could benefit from technology transfer in areas such as robotics and automated manufacturing.

China Expands Economic Influence

The president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Marko Čadež, stated that Chinese companies have already invested between 7.7 and 8 billion euros in Serbia. The 37 largest Chinese firms now employ more than 40,000 people in the country.

“New major investments are coming—from infrastructure to robotics—and Serbia is becoming increasingly attractive for high-tech projects,” Čadež told the state television station RTS.

Currently, around 2,000 companies with Chinese capital are active in Serbia. According to Čadež, employment at large Chinese companies has risen by about 45% over the past three to four years.

Minth founder Qin Ronghua described Serbia as a key production hub for his company’s European operations. The Serbian plants supply numerous Minth locations across Europe.

“We ship from Serbia to the UK, France, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and other countries. The facilities in Serbia function like a large central kitchen for our European plants,” Qin said, according to the Tanjug news agency.