Chinese Whispers: China's vendetta against Nato

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🗓️ 13 May 2024

⏱️ 46 minutes

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Summary

Last week, President Xi Jinping visited Serbia. An unexpected destination, you might think, but in fact the links between Beijing and Belgrade go back decades. One event, in particular, has linked the two countries – and became a seminal moment in how the Chinese remember their history.

In 1999, the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was bombed by US-led Nato forces. Three Chinese nationals died. An accident, the Americans insisted, but few Chinese believed it then, and few do today. The event is still remembered in China, but now, little talked about in the West.

Xi’s visit was timed to the 25th anniversary of the bombing itself. ‘The China-Serbia friendship, forged with the blood of our compatriots, will stay in the shared memory of the Chinese and Serbian peoples’, Xi wrote for a Serbian paper ahead of the visit.

So what exactly happened that night in May, and what does the event – and its aftermath – tell us about Chinese nationalism today?

Cindy Yu is joined by Peter Gries, Professor of Chinese Politics at Manchester University and author of numerous books on China, including China’s New Nationalism: Pride, Politics and Diplomacy.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The Spectator magazine is the greatest magazine in English language. Subscribe today for just £12
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0:23.5	this offer probably loses us money.
0:34.7	Hello and welcome to Chinese Whispers with me, Cindy Yu.
0:38.2	Every episode I'll be talking to journalists, experts and long-time China watchers about the latest in Chinese politics, society and more.
0:46.0	There'll be a smattering of history to catch you up on the background knowledge and some contacts as well.
0:50.7	How did the Chinese see these issues?
0:54.0	Last week, President Xi Jinping visited Serbia.
0:57.0	An unexpected destination, you might think.
0:59.0	But in fact, the links between Beijing and Belgrade go back decades.
1:03.0	One event in particular has linked the two countries
1:06.0	and became a seminal moment in how the Chinese remember the history.
1:10.0	In 1999, the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was bombed by US-led NATO forces.
1:15.2	Three Chinese nationals died.
1:17.1	An accident, the Americans insisted, but few Chinese believed it then and few do today.
1:22.4	The moment is still remembered in China, but is little talked about here in the West.
1:28.0	C's visit was timed to the 25th anniversary of the bombing.
1:31.5	He wrote in a Serbian paper ahead of the visit, quote,
1:34.9	The China-Serbia friendship forged with the blood of our compatriots will stay in the shared
1:39.4	memory of the Chinese and Serbian peoples.
1:42.2	So what exactly happened that night in May?
	...

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