Chinese investments in Serbia vs Chinese loans granted to Serbia

Published on 21. April 2023., News

China’s investments in Serbia from 2010 to the end of 2022 amounted to 17.3 billion dollars, according to data from the American Enterprise Institute.

According to their China Global Investment Tracker report, China’s total overseas investments since 2005 have reached 2.27 trillion dollars.

They note that in 2022, the pandemic continued to limit investment, although infrastructure projects abroad are recovering. Also, the energy sector remains the focus of Chinese investments.

In the period from 2014 to 2022, Chinese companies have invested 4.4 billion dollars in Serbia, according to the report.

The report also states that Zijin Mining invested a total of $1.84 billion in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, although $380 million was spent on the purchase of Freeport McMoran, which had exploration rights for the Čukara Peki mine.

Also, another large Chinese investment is the construction of the Shangdong Linglong tire factory in Zrenjanin worth 950 million euros.

This report includes the data on the construction of block 3 of the thermal power plant in Kostolac worth 970 million dollars, carried out by the Chinese company CMEC, although this construction is financed by a loan paid by the Serbian government.

In addition, there is the purchase of the Smederevo ironworks by the Chinese company HBIS, for 120 million dollars, as well as the construction of a thermal power plant in Pančevo by the Shanghai Electric Company on the order of Gazprom.

This report listed a total of 10 investments by Chinese companies in Serbia. Infrastructure construction projects financed by loans from Chinese companies are almost three times higher than Chinese investments in Serbia, totalling $12.87 billion, according to this report.

Chinese companies are mainly involved in the construction of motorways, other roads and railways in 19 projects in Serbia, the report states.

Source: Serbian monitor

Download Article as PDF