The bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade

On 7 May 1999 at 23:45, NATO carried out an attack on the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, in one of the most controversial attacks during the bombing.

Precision targeting

Five bombs directly hit the embassy building in Novi Beograd. Laser-guided projectiles were used - the most precise weapons that NATO possessed.

Victims

3 Chinese journalists were killed in the attack:

• Shao Yunhuan (female journalist, 48 years old)
• Xu Xinghu (journalist, 31 years old)
• Zhu Ying (wife of the journalist Xu Xinghu, 27 years old)

NATO justification - a "mistake"

NATO claimed that they had used "old maps" and that it was a "mistake". However, the Chinese embassy had been at that location for years and was clearly marked.

Conspiracy theories

Many analysts believe that the attack was deliberate because China, through its embassy, was helping the Serbian army track NATO aircraft. Others believe that the reason was that the embassy was collecting evidence of the use of banned munitions.

Diplomatic consequences

China sharply condemned the attack. In Beijing and other Chinese cities, mass protests broke out in front of American embassies. The USA eventually paid 28 million dollars in compensation.

Remembrance

On the ruins of the embassy, a memorial with the names of those who perished stands today.