Linglong International Europe, a tire manufacturer based in Zrenjanin, Serbia, has recently acquired a five percent stake in the Belt and Road Institute, marking a significant shift in the ownership structure of this Serbian state-founded organization.
Initially established in December 2021, the institute aims to foster partnerships across political, industrial, educational, and cultural sectors among countries involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with a particular focus on Sino-Serbian relations.
The change in ownership, officially registered on May 16, reflects a broader trend of decreasing Serbian state shares and increasing participation by Chinese companies operating in Serbia. This development follows the entry of other major corporate partners, including Serbia Zijin Copper and Serbia Zijin Mining, both of which have also secured five percent stakes under similar financial terms.
The institute’s mission includes providing scientific, professional, and cultural support to enhance cooperation mechanisms and develop successful partnerships within the initiative’s framework. This latest acquisition by Linglong, known in Serbia primarily for a controversy regarding poor worker treatment, signals an evolving dynamic in the region’s economic and diplomatic engagements with China.
Photo: Illustration/masinoprojekt.co.rs