Beijing: China’s National People’s Congress has officially ratified an extradition treaty with Serbia, a move that marks a new chapter in Beijing’s expanding legal and diplomatic influence in Europe. The agreement, signed during President Xi Jinping’s landmark visit to Belgrade in 2024, grants both countries the authority to request the transfer of individuals wanted for crimes across their jurisdictions. While hailed by both governments as a step forward in deepening judicial and law enforcement cooperation, the treaty has already sparked debate over its possible implications for political dissidents, asylum seekers, and citizens of Taiwan who may be caught in the legal crossfire.
The treaty is not yet in effect, as Serbia must still ratify it through its own parliamentary process. Yet even at this stage, the move reflects how China is carefully weaving a network of bilateral legal instruments to extend its reach beyond Asia. Officials in Beijing argue that such agreements are necessary to combat corruption, fraud, and other cross-border crimes, pointing to long-standing operations such as “Sky Net” and “Fox Hunt,” which have targeted fugitives accused of economic crimes abroad. For Serbia, a country that has become the largest recipient of Chinese investment in the Balkans, the agreement is as much about legal alignment as it is about maintaining strong political and economic ties with one of its most significant foreign partners.
Still, the treaty has already ignited human rights concerns, particularly in Europe. Critics fear that such an arrangement could enable Beijing to pursue political opponents or individuals who have sought refuge outside China under the guise of legal cooperation. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has previously intervened in similar cases; in 2022, it blocked Poland from extraditing a Taiwanese businessman to China, citing the risk of mistreatment and the lack of transparent judicial safeguards. This precedent underscores that even if Serbia ratifies the deal, future extradition cases may face significant legal hurdles once they reach European oversight bodies.
The agreement also ties into a broader pattern of Chinese outreach across Europe. Just two months ago, Hungary ratified its own extradition treaty with China, making it one of the few EU countries to do so. Serbia, though not an EU member, sits at the geographical and political crossroads of Europe and the Balkans, making its cooperation with Beijing particularly significant. Over the past decade, Chinese firms have poured billions into Serbian infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects, positioning Belgrade as a crucial partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. By extending collaboration into the legal and policing sphere, China and Serbia are effectively tightening a web of cooperation that goes beyond economics and diplomacy, and into the sensitive arena of domestic security.
On the ground, cooperation between Chinese and Serbian law enforcement is not new. As far back as 2019, Chinese security officials joined Serbian police in joint patrols on the streets of Belgrade, a practice repeated in 2023. Proponents argue these initiatives help improve public safety in tourist areas where Chinese visitors are numerous, but critics caution they represent a creeping form of extraterritorial policing. The extradition treaty formalizes this trend, offering Beijing stronger legal justification for pursuing individuals it considers fugitives within Serbia’s territory.
Despite these advancements, questions remain about how the treaty will operate in practice. Will Serbia face pressure to comply with extradition requests even if they clash with European legal norms? How will international watchdogs react if high-profile dissidents or exiles are targeted under the agreement? And to what extent will the deal serve as a model for other Balkan or Eastern European states weighing similar partnerships with China? These uncertainties highlight the dual nature of the treaty: while it promises deeper cooperation on crime and justice, it also risks entangling Serbia in Beijing’s broader contest over global legal standards and human rights.
China now holds extradition treaties with more than 60 countries, though only around half are actively in force. Each new agreement extends Beijing’s hand in areas once considered outside its immediate influence. For Serbia, alignment with China offers economic and diplomatic benefits, but also binds the country more closely to the strategies of a global power whose approach to law and rights often collides with European frameworks. As Belgrade prepares to take up ratification on its side, the outcome will not only shape China-Serbia ties but may also signal how far Beijing’s legal ambitions can reach into Europe’s contested geopolitical space.