Serbia displays Chinese missiles amid concerns in Balkans

HQ-22 anti-aircraft systems, whose export version is known as FK-3, during the military exercises on Batajnica, military airport near Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP)

Serbia has displayed a recently delivered Chinese anti-aircraft missile system, raising concerns in the West and among some of Serbia’s neighbours that an arms build-up in the Balkans could threaten fragile peace in the region.

The sophisticated HQ-22 surface-to-air system was delivered last month by a dozen Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes in what was believed to be the largest-ever airlift delivery of Chinese arms to Europe.