Vucic defends US-sanctioned Chinese companies in Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has come to the defense of the Chinese company Serbia Zijin Copper after US authorities banned the import of copper and its products to the US due to suspicions of the use of forced labor.

Despite these accusations, Vučić has chosen to defend Chinese companies, arguing that they are of great importance to the Serbian economy and employment in the country.

Vučić described the US decision as harmful to Serbia and said that the state will do everything it can to help the Bor-based company overcome the problems created by the American measure.

"I believe that through dialogue with the Americans we will be able to at least somewhat help the company from Bor, which employs 7.000 people and keeps eastern Serbia alive," he declared during a visit to the works of the Fruška Gora Corridor.

According to him, 'Serbia is paying the price of the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China'.

The decision was made by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which announced that it had blocked shipments of copper produced by Serbia's Zijin Copper after an investigation that, according to it, revealed elements of forced labor in the production and processing of copper ore.

US authorities said workers at the company faced six indicators of forced labor, defined by the International Labor Organization: exploitation of a vulnerable position, withholding wages, threats and intimidation, restriction of movement, confiscation of personal documents and excessive overtime.

Zijin Copper has denied the allegations, stating that it opposes any form of forced labor and that it is conducting internal verifications regarding the claims.

Meanwhile, the organization China Labor Watch has previously reported that it has documented cases of confiscation of personal documents, long working hours, unsafe conditions, and restrictions on freedom of movement for workers at Zijin's operations in Serbia.

Zijin is not the only Chinese company in Serbia to be hit by similar US measures. Previously, the US also banned the import of tires manufactured by Linglong Tire in Zrenjanin, also due to suspicions of the use of forced labor. /REL