President Xi Jinping speaks during the 8th round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogues in Beijing. (Photo : Reuters)
Chinese President Xi Jinping is looking at possibilities of collaborating with Serbia on several major projects, ahead of a planned state visit to Belgrade, China Daily reported.
In an article published by Politika, a Serbian newspaper, Xi called for increased bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, adding that China wants to share its achievements and development opportunities with Serbia.
The Chinese leader also stressed the bilateral relations between China and Serbia, whom he called as an "eternal friend and sincere partner." He said that China's friendship with Serbia dates back to the 1950s when the country established its diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia.
"There is a saying in Serbia that friends are the fruits of time," Xi said.
The Chinese foreign ministry said that the two countries are set to sign several documents on cooperation in areas that include trade, finance, economic affairs, and production capacity.
Serbia, which is seeking membership in the European Union, is one of the places favored by investors in Europe because it has the lowest production costs and a high availability of technical workers, according to Denis Depoux, deputy president of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants for Asia.
Depoux added that Chinese companies and investors have found many business opportunities in the growing economies of Central and East European countries.
Xi's visit to Serbia is seen to bring more investments to the country, especially from Chinese companies engaged in rail, highway and bridge construction projects, Xiang Junyong, an international relations researcher at Renmin University of China, said.
In an interview with China Central Television, Sinisa Mali, the mayor of Belgrade, said that an agreement worth 500 million euros ($561 million) as an investment in the city's sewage facilities will be signed by the two countries, as well as a deal to build an industrial park in Belgrade with a Chinese company.
Xi is set to visit the Smederevo steel mill, which was acquired in April by Hesteel Group, China's largest iron and steel business group, said Liu Haixing, assistant foreign minister.
Serbia established strategic partnership with China in 2009 and is the first country in CEE to form such alliance with China.
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, with other European troops, attended the 70th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing in September last year.
