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Features
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MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020
Dusan Stojanovic
BELGRADE (AP) - When China’s irst
shipment of coronavirus medical aid
landed in Belgrade, the president of
Serbia was there to kiss the Chinese
lag. InHungary, of icialshaveplayed
down assistance from the European
Union (EU) and praised Beijing’s
help. In the Czech Republic, its
president says only China was there
during the virus spread.
WhileChinastruggleselsewhere
to polish its image tarnished by its
initial handling of the coronavirus
outbreak, Beijing has no problem
maintaining its hard-won in luence
in Eastern Europe, where it battles
for clout with the EU as well as with
Russia in countries like Serbia.
China was criticised by many in
the West for its early mishandling
of the health crisis due to politically
motivated foot-dragging while the
virus raced through amajor province
and its capital, Wuhan. Now it is
seeking to change perceptions
through “mask diplomacy” - a
combination of soft power policy,
political messaging and aid that
is designed to portray Beijing as a
generous and ef icient ally.
China for years has been
increasing
its
political
and
economic in luence in southeastern
Europe through its Belt and Road
global investment projects. Its
image-polishing after the outbreak
found fertile ground in places
like Serbia and Hungary, whose
populist leaders nurture close ties
with Beijing or Moscow.
The aid shipments also drew
praiseinItaly,Spain,theNetherlands
and Slovakia, although some
Chinese shipments of coronavirus
testing kits and face masks turned
out to be faulty or defective.
“We must be aware there is a
geopolitical component, including
a struggle for in luence, through
spinning and the politics of
generosity,” EU’s top foreign policy
of icial Josep Borrell recently wrote
in a blog, referring to China. “Armed
with facts, we need to defend
Europe against its detractors.”
Chineseof icialshaverepeatedly
rejected claims that Beijing is
seeking political gains by providing
medical aid to other countries,
saying the allegations result from
deep-rooted misperceptions of
China’s goals in the West.
While the EU’s 27 nations were
busy battling the virus amid a lack
of equipment and protective gear,
shipments from China were praised
even when they were paid for.
In Serbia, a candidate for EU
membership, of icials and state-
controlled media have played down
the millions of euros in grants and
loans from Brussels and praised
Chinese deliveries, donations and
cash purchases. Opposition groups
have demanded that the aid from
China be disclosed and stacked up
against the EU’s apparently much
larger assistance, but those calls
have been ignored.
The pro-China narrative includ-
ed billboards supporting Chi-nese
President Xi Jinping, whom Serbian
President Aleksandar Vucic routinely
describes as his “brother”.
“European solidarity does not
exist. Only China can help,” Vucic
said last month while announcing a
nationwide state of emergency that
gave him expanded powers in the
health crisis.
Still, a suggestion by Serbia’s
prime minister that a monument
be erected honouring the country’s
friendship with China during the
outbreak drew a negative response
from some pro-Western Serbs.
“Are we to build monuments for
those who have triggered the global
pandemic spread, including Serbia,
and lied about it in the process?”
one commentator asked.
Both Serbia and Hungary have
been important gateways to Europe
for China through its infrastructure
and investment projects.
China’s investments in Serbia
include an estimated USD6 billion
in loans for building highways,
railroads and power plants as well
as contracts for the introduction of
a 5G network and facial recognition
surveillance equipment. US of icials
Enter the age of ‘mask’ diplomacy
China’s politics of generosity a hit in virus-plagued Eastern Europe.
have warned of Beijing’s “debt trap”
diplomacy that could cost them
their sovereignty if they fail to
service the loans.
Hungary’s authoritarian govern-
ment has repeatedly praised China
and other Asian countries, thanking
themforsupplyingmasks,breathing
machines and other equipment
needed in the pandemic.
At the same time, Hungarian
Prime Minister Viktor Orban and
other ministers have downplayed
assistance from fellow EU members
andtheblocandhavebelittledthose
criticising the extraordinary powers
given to Hungary’s leadership
during the state of emergency
declared due to the pandemic.
“All of Europe, includingwestern
Europe, is always extraordinarily
critical and often ready to educate
and lecture about the essence
of democracy, (but) everyone
is standing in line in China for
the products needed for health
A woman wearing a face mask walks by a Serbian lag placed on a street prior a curfew set up to help prevent the
spread of the coronavirus in Belgrade. PHOTOS: AP
Serbian of icials unload personal protection equipment donated by Turkey to help the country combat the
coronavirus outbreak, in Belgrade
protection,” Foreign Minister Peter
Szijjartosaid lastweek inParliament.
“So, it’s possible that after the end of
the coronavirus, European policies
regarding Eastern relations may
have to be slightly reassessed.”
A group of experts monitoring
China’s presence in southeastern
Europe warned in a report this
month that “China has been
increasingly active in political,
economic and societal domains” in
the region.
Czech President Milos Zeman,
known for his pro-Russian and pro-
Chinese views, said in a televised
address March 19 that “China was
the only country that helped us have
the (protective) gear delivered”.
China expert Martin Hala
countered by criticising what he
called a “huge propaganda cam-
paign that accompanies the so-
called aid” from Beijing. He told
Czech television that it was not aid
but “a normal commercial delivery”.
Soldiers arrive to sanitise a care home for the elderly where more than 198
people have been infected with the novel coronavirus and eight people
have died in Budapest, Hungary
Police of icers patrol next to a lake in Budapest