The position of the people's Republic of China on Kosovo and Metohija in the context of the defence of international law and the expansion of the interest frontiers

Abstract

Despite the geopolitical challenges in the immediate environment in Central Asia and the Pacific, the People's Republic of China plays an increasingly active diplomatic role in the Balkans, primarily by providing unconditional support to Belgrade regarding Kosovo and Metohija. Is it an isolated step forward or a tactical move that is in line with the new strategic foreign policy thinking? In search for an answer, the paper considers the evolution of the principle of non-interference in China's foreign policy, its re-evaluation and adaptation in the context of the transition to a multipolar world order, the expansion of the "interest frontiers" conditioned by the Belt and Road Initiative, and the preservation of China's territorial integrity and sovereignty in the matter of Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The paper analyses the processes that have strengthened Beijing's position on Kosovo and Metohija in recent years: the derecognition of Taiwan and Kosovo and Metohija, the increased Western pressure on Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and the understanding that resolving the status of Kosovo and Metohija is impossible without China's approval in the UN Security Council. It has been concluded that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija reflects both the main postulates of China's foreign policy and its evolution. This attitude of Beijing will make it difficult for the West to complete the "independence of Kosovo", it will increase the pressure of the EU and the US on Serbia, and it will also strengthen the resilience of Belgrade.