The United States' steep tariffs on Serbian imports risk undermining global free trade and eroding trust between economic partners, Serbian scholar Dragana Mitrovic said on Wednesday.
Starting Aug 7, the United States plans to impose a 35 percent tariff on imports from Serbia, marking a sharp policy shift that could strain trade relations and disrupt Serbian industries.
In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Mitrovic, a professor at the University of Belgrade, explained how the U.S.'s unilateral tariff policy threatens Serbian industries and small businesses, while also straining bilateral trade ties and destabilizing global economic cooperation.
"Such a one-sided rise of tariffs which are actually difficult to grasp for the other side will affect economic cooperation, trade corporation and as most other countries, probably some producers will have to be in a situation to search for other markets. But it will negatively affect our trade relations and general economic relations with the United States of America," said Mitrovic.
According to the professor, U.S. tariff policy undermines trust among partners through unilateral coercive measures. This exacerbates global supply chain risks and disrupts the predictability and stability of the world economy, as well as the global multilateral trade system.
"These tariffs that actually are a huge blow to fair trade and to global chain of production and consumer production stability. We all know that trade has a major impact on global growth. So all these things, predictability, stability, trust between partners, all these elements are now being hit by these tariffs. So the world economy has been further challenged by these unilateral moves by United States of America," said Mitrovic.
US tariffs threaten Serbian industries, global trade stability: scholar
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
