Chinese businesses in Kosovo: 448 on paper, only 13 active on the ground
Express newspaper
13/04/2026 17:43
In a small market like Kosovo, with around 1.5 million inhabitants and no diplomatic relations with China, the presence of businesses with Chinese capital seems paradoxical: hundreds registered on paper, but only a few that actually function.
Data from the Business Registration Agency shows that from 2000 to 2025, a total of 448 businesses of Chinese origin were registered in Kosovo.
However, only 13 of them are active, while 396 are passive and 39 have been extinguished.
This picture raises questions not only about the effectiveness of these investments, but also about the quality of institutional oversight in the country.
High numbers, low activity
Businesses with Chinese capital are mainly focused on sectors such as wholesale and retail trade, gastronomy, accommodation, the extractive industry (mining and quarrying), as well as the field of information and communication.
But, the vast majority of them remain only in registers.
Businesses categorized as passive have not updated their data and have not withdrawn their certificate with a unique identification number – an indicator that, according to economic experts, raises doubts about their real functioning.
The largest number of registrations was recorded in the period 2004-2009.
After this time, interest has declined significantly, and from 2011 onwards, an average of only up to three Chinese businesses have been registered per year.
“active” businesses that are hard to find
A verification by Radio Free Europe on the ground reveals an even bleaker reality.
Of the 13 businesses declared as active, ten were unreachable by phone.
Only three of them confirmed that they are operating: a restaurant in Pristina, a business selling technological equipment, and a company in the stone quarrying sector.
The representatives of these businesses themselves, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasize that cooperation with Chinese shareholders is not part of any broad investment strategy, but is related to individual initiatives.
A restaurant co-owner says the idea for the business came after meeting a Chinese shareholder in Norway, with the aim of bringing Asian cuisine to Kosovo.
A shareholder in the technology sector says he convinced a Chinese investor to become a partner after visits to China.
In Rahovec, meanwhile, a company is expected to start operating to extract stone as a raw material for marble, with the destination being China – one of the rare cases with a clear commercial orientation.
Between economic interest and strategic influence
Despite the limited activity, experts warn that the Chinese presence should not be seen solely through current figures.
Globally, China has built a strategy of economic expansion through investments in infrastructure, energy, and new markets, particularly through initiatives such as the “Belt and Road”.
According to experts, China, through investments of this type, aims not only for commercial benefits, but also to expand its political and strategic influence.
The former governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo, Fehmi Mehmeti, believes that the large difference between registered Chinese businesses in Kosovo and active ones raises concerns.
“It would be necessary for the responsible institutions to conduct more in-depth analyses, not only for transparency, but also to understand whether we have real investments or just a statistical presence,” Mehmeti tells Radio Free Europe.
On the other hand, former Minister of Trade and Industry, Ismet Mulaj, sees China’s interest in the region as part of a broader strategy.
According to him, the Western Balkans are seen as an important space for economic expansion towards Europe, where investments in energy and infrastructure are accompanied by economic diplomacy.
“China is investing in the region in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and these activities show that it is a coordinated approach that combines business with economic diplomacy,” he tells Radio Free Europe.
In this context, Serbia constitutes the clearest example of deepening Chinese influence, not only in the economy, but also in areas such as culture, media, and education.
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Unlike Serbia, Kosovo remains outside these developments, mainly due to its pro-Western political position.
However, Mulaj notes that there are also signals of such an approach in Kosovo, citing the facilitation of procedures for obtaining visas to China through the Chinese Liaison Office in Pristina.
No diplomatic relations
Kosovo and China do not have diplomatic relations, as Beijing does not recognize its independence and supports, as it says, the territorial integrity of Serbia.
China operates in Kosovo through a liaison office that operates under its Embassy in Belgrade.
Neither the Kosovo Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation nor the Chinese Liaison Office responded to Radio Free Europe’s questions regarding the verification and control of Chinese businesses, or the number of Chinese visa applications submitted by Kosovo citizens for travel to China, and the number of Chinese citizens visiting Kosovo.
Western orientation and strategic dilemmas
Kosovo remains clearly oriented towards the European Union and the United States of America.
This orientation is closely linked to aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration and to the political and security support that the country has received from the West since the post-war period.
According to Mulaj, such orientation should also be reflected in the selection of economic partners, especially in strategic sectors such as energy, infrastructure and telecommunications.
“In these sectors, the choice of partners must be made with long-term analysis, balancing economic benefits with national security and the strategic orientation of the state,” he assesses.
Mehmeti also emphasizes the need to strengthen economic diplomacy, arguing that Kosovo is failing to attract quality and long-term investments from Western partners.
“In practice, economic diplomacy is either absent or does not function effectively,” he assesses.
An unbalanced trade report
Beyond direct investment, the Kosovo-China economic relationship is dominated by a significant trade imbalance.
Kosovo spends over two million euros a day on imports from China – from toys and household appliances to food products.
According to Kosovo Customs data, imports from China have increased from 452 million euros in 2021 to around 920 million euros in 2024.
On the other hand, Kosovo’s exports to China remain minimal – less than one million euros per year – significantly deepening the trade deficit and reflecting an unequal economic relationship.