China Steps Up For Stellantis After Serbia’s Push; Xi Pledges Faster EV Export Permits

China has agreed to accelerate export approvals for materials used in electric vehicles (EVs) after a request passed on by Serbia on behalf of carmaker Stellantis, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday.

Stellantis turned to the government for assistance in communicating with Beijing about obtaining essential EV components at standard market prices, according to a Bloomberg report.

He said Chinese President Xi Jinping responded by pledging support for faster permitting and directed Chinese agencies to maintain close contact with Serbian officials.

Reading from what he described as a letter from Xi, Vucic said the Chinese president had asked the relevant institutions “to complete the permission procedures at an accelerated pace.” 

Xi also reportedly said that Chinese export restrictions are not aimed at “friendly nations such as Serbia.”

Vucic did not mention if the materials would serve Stellantis’ Serbian plant or additional locations.

He noted Stellantis, whose predecessor Fiat launched the Kragujevac plant in 2012, is key to Serbia’s economic development. 

The comments come amid ongoing trade tensions and follow China’s reported decision to grant temporary export licenses for rare earth materials used by General Motors. 

The approvals offer short-term relief after Beijing’s April export restrictions disrupted supplies critical to automotive production. 

In April, China imposed broad restrictions on exports of rare earths and related magnets, citing national security concerns in the context of escalating U.S. tariffs. 

The restrictions triggered supply chain disruptions across sectors, including automotive, aerospace, semiconductors, and defense.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Stellantis was ‘extremely bullish’ amid ‘extremely high’ message volume late Sunday.

Stellantis’ stock has declined 20.3% so far in 2025.

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