Between investment and integration: Serbian attitudes towards the Chinese community in Belgrade in the context of China’s soft power

Abstract

In recent years, Serbia has significantly deepened its strategic partnership with China through intensified economic cooperation and political alignment. This article examines how this broader bilateral context is reflected in everyday public perceptions, focusing on Serbian attitudes towards the Chinese community in Belgrade. Drawing on quantitative survey data collected among 590 respondents, the study analyzes dominant attitudes towards Chinese residents and their variation across selected socio-demographic characteristics, with particular attention to the role of interpersonal contact. The findings indicate generally favourable attitudes towards the Chinese community, especially among women and younger respondents, with education associated primarily with cultural interest. Concepts such as soft power and public diplomacy are employed as an interpretive framework rather than directly measured variables, allowing the results to be situated within broader discussions on foreign presence, social perception, and multicultural coexistence.