Controversial arms deal: China apparently delivers anti-aircraft missiles to Serbia

Created: 04/12/2022, 17:32

By: Sven Hauberg

A Y-20 transport aircraft performs a flight display during an event marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Air Force in Changchun in 2019.

© Lin Hong/Xinhua/Imago

Six huge transport planes, apparently loaded with anti-aircraft systems, land in Serbia: an arms deal between China and the Western Balkan state is causing a stir.

Munich/Belgrade – arms deliveries to Ukraine?

It's not possible!

At least that's how China* sees it.

Military support for Kyiv, according to Beijing, would only prolong the war and increase the suffering of the civilian population.

Delivering arms to Europe is apparently not a problem for Beijing.

At least not if they go to a friendly government.

According to several reports, China is currently doing just that: Chinese Y-20 military transport planes are said to have brought anti-aircraft systems to Serbia over the weekend.

It would be the first delivery of this kind to a European country.

According to military experts, it is said to be China's HQ-22 air defense system, which is referred to as the FK-3 in the export version.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian confirmed on Monday that his country "recently dispatched air force transport planes to deliver conventional military goods to Serbia."

Zhao did not give details.

However, he emphasized that it was a delivery as part of a normal "cooperative project".

One should not “interpret too much into it”.

It's a common statement in Beijing's security cooperation.

So far, Serbia has only confirmed the deal indirectly.

According to the AP news agency, recently re-elected President Aleksandar Vucic said his country will soon be able to show "the newest pride" of Serbia.

China: arms delivery has nothing to do with the current situation

While some military experts suspect a connection with the Ukraine war *, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao said in Beijing that the delivery "is not aimed at third parties, nor does it have anything to do with the current situation".

When asked by an AFP journalist whether such a deal would endanger the fragile peace in Europe, Zhao reacted angrily.

"Have you ever thought about whether regional peace and stability would be threatened if the US sells arms to Europe and Taiwan*?" he asked.

China claims to be neutral in the Ukraine war but has not yet condemned the Russian attack.

Instead, Beijing blames NATO and, above all, the USA for the escalation*.

It is unclear whether the deliveries to Serbia are to be interpreted as a signal to NATO.

It is also unclear how the stationing of anti-aircraft systems will affect regional security in the Balkans - especially with regard to Kosovo, which Serbia does not recognize.

China: One of the largest arms exporters in the world

According to the Stockholm-based peace research institute Sipri, China was the world's fourth largest arms exporter in the period 2017-2021 - after the United States, Russia and France, and ahead of Germany.

In 2020, the country is said to have exported armaments worth 67 billion US dollars.

Last weekend, China's state television reported on a large military fair with hundreds of vendors.

The People's Liberation Army was on the lookout for drones and intelligent vehicles at the event, according to the

.

Serbia is said to have ordered the air defense system that has now been delivered in 2019/2020, together with Wing Loong 2F reconnaissance and combat drones.

At the time, the United States had warned Belgrade against taking this step.

The government in Belgrade is considered extremely Beijing-friendly*;

Some observers accuse President Vucic of an authoritarian style of government.

Along with Hungary, Serbia is considered China's favorite partner in Europe.

Vucic had Chinese companies build bridges and roads in his country.

A high-speed line is currently being built between Belgrade and Budapest.

A first section of the railway line built by Chinese and Russian companies was inaugurated in mid-March.

China and Serbia: Xi Jinping praises "iron friendship"

Vucic had traveled to Beijing for the Winter Olympics and was rewarded there with a reception by head of state and party leader Xi Jinping*.

Xi praised the "iron friendship" between China and Serbia.

When Russia was expelled from the UN Human Rights Council last week, Serbia – unlike China – voted in favor of this step.

However, Vucic justified this with the pressure that had been exerted on his country – and was celebrated for it by the Chinese state media.

"Only Serbia dared to speak," ran the headline in the state-controlled

.

However, the arms transport over the weekend not only highlights the close ties between Belgrade and Beijing;

it also shows how technologically advanced China's military machines are.

The

quoted a Chinese military expert over the weekend as saying the deployment of the Y-20s reflects a significant improvement in the Chinese Air Force's long-range strategic transport capabilities.

The vans, nicknamed "Fat Girl", only went into service in 2016 and can load 66 tons.

The planes had landed in Europe several times - around 2020, when they took more than a hundred Chinese soldiers to a military parade in Russia.

According to the Chinese state media, the fact that six Y-20 aircraft are now landing in Europe at the same time was a first.

*