Vucic: Serbia – China relations are at historic high

Belgrade, Serbia | 29 Jan 2019 (Tirana Echo) – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has confirmed Serbia’s relations with China are at a historic high and expressed the hope he would this year have an opportunity to welcome Chinese President Xi Jiping in Belgrade again.

Vucic made his comments as he welcomed China’s new Ambassador to Belgrade Mrs. Chen Bo, who presented her credentials to Vucic.

Vucic praised the significance of Chinese investments in Serbia, pointing to a HBIS investment in the Smederevo steel mill, a Zijin Mining Group investment in RTB Bor and the arrival of Linglong Tire in Zrenjanin.

Serbia has been very keen to boost its cooperation with China in recent years, as the Balkan country maintains a regional lead in the “16+1 cooperation” mechanism under the wider framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to strengthen ties between China and countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Serbia in 2016, signing 22 agreements on finance, infrastructure, currency swaps, renewable energy and highway construction and later announcing China would abolish visas for Serbian citizens.