The 1999 NATO Bombing: A Legacy of Strain in Serbia-West Relations
The close relationship between China and Serbia stems not only from historical and ideological ties, but also from a shared memory.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Europe has elicited an array of feelings domestically. While his first stop, France, invited good-natured teasings from Chinese netizens, his second destination, Serbia, sparked a wave of enthusiastic support. The close relationship between China and Serbia stems not only from historical and ideological ties but also from a shared memory of the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, which devastated the Chinese embassy as well as killed three Chinese nationals.
In our interview with Mr. Jan Oberg, he generously shares his experiences of living and working in a region tragically inundated with bombing, wars, lies, and deceit, which makes the current conflict feel like a heart-wrenching déjà vu.
By Jan Oberg, November 2023
1974 was my first visit to Yugoslavia, and I think I've been there about a hundred times since then, back and forth doing missions and writing about it. In my foundation, we produced the largest-ever report writte…
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