President Vučić Prepares for State Visit to China Serbia is betting big on Beijing. As President Aleksandar Vučić packs for a five-day state visit to China, Belgrade is selling it as the most consequential trip of his career and a billion‑euro moment for the Serbian economy.

Countdown to Beijing

The choreography began in Belgrade with a meeting between Vučić and Chinese ambassador Li Ming, where the president called the upcoming visit “without any doubt” the most important of his political life and praised Xi Jinping’s “steel ties” with Serbia. Pro‑government outlets framed the trip as proof that “Xi’s support is a testament to the strong ties between the two countries.”

On social media, Vučić amplified Beijing’s message by retweeting Chinese state media announcing that, at Xi’s invitation, he will pay a state visit from May 24 to 28.

Contracts, robots and a billion‑euro headline

At a ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the “World in Serbia” program, Vučić shifted from symbolism to hard numbers. He said Serbia has about 30 proposed meetings with Chinese companies and that he will try to “respond to 20” of them, expecting “more than 30 contracts” to be signed. Another pro‑government headline boiled it down: “We are signing more than 30 agreements with China.”

The opposition‑leaning daily Danas zeroed in on the price tag, highlighting Vučić’s estimate that “the level of investments could be around one billion euros,” backed by “concrete commercial contracts for different companies.” He also flagged a coming robot factory in Šabac with over 200 employees, expected to open by early July.

Spin wars over Serbia’s place in the new order

For pro‑government commentators, the visit is geopolitical validation. One trumpet headline declared: “STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP GETTING STRONGER! Vučić’s visit to China opens a new phase of cooperation between Serbia and Beijing,” while another argued that the trip “confirms China treats Serbia as a privileged and equal partner.”

Career diplomat Zoran Milivojević pushed that line further, saying Serbia is uniquely included in China’s vision of a “community for the future” and stressing that about 30 agreements will allow cooperation “in all areas… on an equal basis.”

Opposition media, meanwhile, report the same figures but with far less triumphalism. Their coverage foregrounds Vučić’s own caveats—“I believe we will return with concrete commercial contracts” and “around one billion euros” in investments—implicitly reminding readers that, for now, it is all still promise, not payoff.