Xi "strikes" on NATO from Serbia?

It will be, as pointed out, Xi's second trip in five years. The last time a Chinese President visited Europe, in 2019, the world was a very different place. Back then, the coronavirus pandemic had not even started, and the EU could hardly have imagined that a war led by Beijing's best friend - Moscow, would begin on European soil.

The best time to attack NATO?

Three unnamed European diplomats told "China Watcher" that there is a fear that Paris could be involved in Xi Jinping's plan to use this trip and adopt a clearer tone of opposition to NATO, especially when he goes to Belgrade on May 7.

At that time, the text reminds us, it will be 25 years since the American bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. Washington called it an accident, while NATO carried out airstrikes in 1999. It is also recalled that, during Xi's state visit to Serbia in 2016, his first stop was going to the location of the embassy, where he paid tribute to the victims.

The Chinese state news agency Xinhua wrote at the time that "barbaric missile attacks on the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia, during brazen bombings, were carried out by NATO, led by the USA".

For now, China is striking a careful balance. As for Ukraine's bid to join NATO, Beijing refrained from mentioning NATO by name, saying only that the bloc's "mentality" is not relevant in today's world and that the "security concerns of all parties," including the Russian side, should be taken into account.