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Rachel Zhang

Serbia’s foreign minister has talked up prospects of its flagship railway project with China and rejected suggestions that China is using “vaccine diplomacy” to expand its geopolitical influence.
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, Nikola Selakovic responded to criticism of China’s international distribution of vaccines by saying the shots were “not a geostrategic issue, but ... an issue of humanity and an issue of saving people’s lives”.
“That’s the example shown by your country [China]. You have offered vaccines to different countries,” Selakovic said.
According to Beijing-based Bridge Consulting, China has sold at least 651 million coronavirus vaccine doses abroad and donated 18.3 million others.
The United States is one of a number of countries that has accused China of using those shots for international influence.
But China says its vaccines will be public goods for the world and is seeking to ensure developing countries have access to shots.
Can China stay ahead in the global vaccine diplomacy race as the US offers 80 million doses to the world?
Selakovic is one of four European foreign ministers in China for talks with their Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Guiyang, in the southwest province of Guizhou. The other ministers are from Hungary, Ireland and Poland, which are all members of the European Union. Serbia has applied to join the bloc.
China invited the ministers to for talks amid declining ties with the EU. On May 20, the European Parliament froze discussion about the landmark EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment because of concerns over human rights.
Serbia is the first European country to roll out Chinese vaccines at home, buying 4 million doses. China also donated 200,000 shots, and sent medical personnel and medical equipment. In addition, it is helping to make Sinopharm vaccines in Serbia.
Selakovic said: “The Republic of Serbia is on its way to becoming a member of the European Union, but Serbia is dedicated to preserving traditional friendship with the People’s Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China.”
He also talked up the prospects for the Budapest-Belgrade railway project, a flagship project of the 17+1 grouping involving China and 17 central and eastern European countries.
“It is not just about Serbia and Hungary. It is about connectivity between southeastern Europe with central Europe ... It shows that the world can make great success through such kind of multilateral cooperation,” he said.
Campaign in Serbia for statue of Comrade Xi is a bid to thank China for vaccines and investment
China, Serbia and Hungary signed a memorandum on the project in 2014, but construction did not start until four years later amid criticism about its economic viability and EU accusations that it violated its economic competition rules.
The European Commission initiated an infringement proceedings in 2016 against Hungary after Hungarian National Railways and its Chinese counterpart directly named the main contractor of the project without organising a public tender.
There have also been concerns in Hungary about the debt burden, with about 85 per cent of Hungary’s financing, roughly US$1.7 billion, for the project coming from China.
In a statement released by the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang said both sides agreed to push forward infrastructure and energy projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, and “strive to kick off construction of the entire section [of the railway] inside Serbia as soon as possible”.


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Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic says the Belgrade-Budapest railway is about more than connecting Serbia and Hungary. Photo: Tass

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Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic (left) and his counterpart Wang Yi hold talks on Saturday. Photo: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Relations between China and the EU have come under strain in recent weeks. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Diplomacy


Serbian foreign minister says shots are about saving lives, not geostrategy
Belt and road rail link between Belgrade and Budapest will aide regional connectivity, Selakovic says



Belt and road rail link between Belgrade and Budapest will aide regional connectivity, Selakovic says


Coronavirus: Serbia backs China against ‘vaccine diplomacy’ critics

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Serbian foreign minister says shots are about saving lives, not geostrategy Belt and road rail link between Belgrade and Budapest will aide regional connectivity, Selakovic says

Serbian foreign minister says shots are about saving lives, not geostrategy

Belt and road rail link between Belgrade and Budapest will aide regional connectivity, Selakovic says