Thewesternbalkans.
China and Serbia will hold their first joint special forces exercises. The Peace Guardians 2025 exercise will be held in late July in China’s northern Hebei province, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced.
The main participants are special forces units from the two countries’ ground forces.
The joint military exercises of special forces units from the two countries will be the first exercises of this format and are aimed at increasing the combat readiness of the participants and strengthening bilateral military cooperation.
The two countries have conducted joint training and exchanges before, but this will be the first exercise on Chinese territory with the participation of Serbian forces.
Comment:
Despite its declared military neutrality, Serbia is a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and is actively developing relations with other international actors, including China.
Beijing and Belgrade maintain a strategic partnership that encompasses both military-technical and economic cooperation. China remains one of the key investors in the Serbian economy, and Belgrade, in turn, relies on Beijing’s diplomatic support in international organizations, especially on the issue of non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence.
China is one of Serbia’s main military partners. In addition to purchasing weapons, Serbia and China will build a factory for the production of military drones. Serbian-Chinese Pegasus drones have been adopted by the Serbian Armed Forces.
Serbia has purchased from China a mobile three-coordinate early warning radar JYL-1, a new Chinese air defense weapon HQ-17AE, a Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile system, and a medium-range air defense system FK-3.
Serbia’s decision to hold military exercises with China undermines Serbia’s proclaimed orientation towards the EU. Brussels has repeatedly warned Belgrade about its policy towards Beijing and Moscow, including over military exercises with China. “Serbia must refrain from actions and statements that contradict EU foreign policy positions,” a Brussels statement said.
