Chinese people in Serbia

The number of Chinese people in Serbia according to 2011 census is 1,373.[3] The community resides mainly in Serbia's capital, Belgrade. Most have their origin in two provinces south of the Shanghai region.[4] None of the Chinese have Serbian citizenship.[5]

Blok 70, the biggest Chinatown in Serbia
Chinese in Serbia
Кинези у Србији
Total population
  • 1,373 (2011)
  • 15,000 (estimate)[1][2]
Regions with significant populations
Belgrade
Languages
Chinese, Serbian
Religion
mainly irreligious
Related ethnic groups
Overseas Chinese

The Chinese immigration to Serbia was prompted after former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his wife Mira Markovic visited China in 1997. They were 30 people in August 1998.[6] There was a rumor that Milosevic imported over 50,000 Chinese people and gave them Yugoslav passports so that they could vote for him in elections. Other rumors say that the Chinese arrived here in order to take language courses. The newspaper, Vecernje Novosti, says one part of town in particular has had a complete Chinese village transplanted into it: "The entire population of the Chinese village of Jincun, Kaihua County in Zhejiang province has moved to Belgrade, specifically to Blok 70 where they have businesses in the local center (Kineski centar, "Chinese center") in the suburb of Novi Beograd."

The Chinese send their children to schools in China when they have reached age for primary school, to learn the Chinese language like natives, something that is important for the community.[4]

Besides Belgrade (Blok 70), there is also a sizable Chinese community in the second largest Serbian city Novi Sad, which has a Chinese trade center, as well as many Chinese shops and restaurants.

Only 223 Chinese have working permits, meaning that Belgrade's 4,000-5,000 Chinese workers profit from Underground economy.[7]

See also
  • China-Serbia relations

References
  1. Chinese Migrants Use Serbia as Gate to Europe. ABC News. 13 July 2010.
  2. V. Mijatović – B. Hadžić. "I Kinezi napuštaju Srbiju | Reportaže". Novosti.rs. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. "Попис становништва, домаћинстава и станова 2011. у Републици Србији: Становништво према националној припадности - „Остали" етничке заједнице са мање од 2000 припадника и двојако изјашњени" (PDF). Webrzs.stat.gov.rs. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  4. "Svi „srpski" Kinezi su iz dve provincije - Glas javnosti". Glas-javnosti.rs. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  5. "Kinezi pustili plitko korenje". Novosti.rs. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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