BEIJING,
May 8,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- China and Serbia have long been renowned for
their ironclad friendship. The bond between the two nations
continues to strengthen with frequent exchanges between their
leaders. As Chinese President Xi Jinping pays his second state
visit to the European country in the coming days, expectations are
running high that the ironclad friendship between the two nations
will be further enriched and strengthened.
Before the significant visit, Global Times
reporters Shan Jie, Xie Wenting and Zhao Juecheng (GT) interviewed
Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming (Li). The ambassador offers a
profound look at the robust China-Serbia relations, underscored by
a shared history and a vibrant cultural exchange, while emphasizing
Serbia's integral role in the Belt and Road Initiative and the
impact of the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement on economic
collaboration.
GT: You have been serving as the Chinese
Ambassador to Serbia since last September. What impressions has
Serbia made on you during these past months? As the current Chinese
ambassador, what message would you like to convey to the local
people?
Li: Serbia is a uniquely charming country.
Situated in Central and Eastern
Europe in the Balkan region, it boasts a rich history and
vibrant culture where Eastern and Western civilizations have met
and mingled over millennia, producing significant achievements in
human civilization. Additionally, Serbia is blessed with splendid
natural beauty, from its vast plains and river valleys to its
mountainous landscapes, all captivating to behold.
What impressed me most was the warmth of Serbian
people and their profound friendship with the Chinese people. Both
countries view each other as "ironclad friends," a bond not only
rooted in our historical traditions but also thriving anew in the
new era.
Upon arriving in Serbia, I was pleased to witness
numerous fruitful Chinese-Serbian collaborations taking root and
flourishing, and to feel the warm, friendly support of the Serbian
people for our bilateral cooperation.
As President Xi has stated, "The modernization we
are pursuing is not for China
alone, but for all developing countries through our joint efforts."
I am confident that under the careful guidance and leadership of
our heads of state, China-Serbia relations will continue to yield
fruitful outcomes in the new era, bringing tangible benefits to
both peoples and setting a model for the region and the world.
GT: How do you evaluate the current state of
China-Serbia relations? In which areas do you plan to deepen
cooperation?
Li: China and
Serbia are close friends and partners, sharing an ironclad
friendship that has endured through history and remains vibrant
amid global changes. The frequent interactions between our leaders
have charted the course for our relationship. In recent years,
President Xi and President Aleksandar
Vucic have met multiple times and maintained a close
communication. In October 2023,
President Vucic led the largest-ever Serbian delegation to
China for the Third Belt and Road
Forum for International Cooperation. Under the strategic guidance
of both leaders, our comprehensive strategic partnership maintains
robust development, with close exchanges at all levels and
unwavering mutual support on issues of core interest and major
concern, deepening political trust.
Our economic and trade cooperation has
strengthened both economies. Bilateral trade continues to grow,
with China being Serbia's largest
source of imports, second-largest trading partner, and a
significant direct investor. Serbian Zijin Mining Group, HeSteel
Group (HBIS) Group Serbia Iron & Steel, and Serbian Zijin
Copper company, all Chinese-funded enterprises, rank among Serbia's
top exporters. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, our
infrastructure projects stand out, including the Belgrade
Zemun-Borca Bridge, the first bridge built by a Chinese company in
Europe, and the E763 highway, the
first highway constructed by a Chinese company in Europe. The Hungary-Serbia railway, a flagship
BRI project, marks China's first
high-speed rail project in Europe
and the first in the Central and Eastern European region.
Cultural exchanges have also bridged our
friendship. The traditional bond between our countries has been
strengthened by reciprocal visa exemptions, mutual driving license
recognition, and direct flights. The interest in Chinese culture
remains high in Serbia. The Spring Festival of the Year of the
Dragon saw the Chinese Embassy in Serbia host a series of popular
"Happy Spring Festival" events. With the establishment of the
Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade, China-Serbia cultural exchanges have
gained a new platform.
China will
continue to work with Serbia, guided by the important consensus of
our leaders, leveraging mechanisms such as the China-Serbia Free
Trade Agreement and the Belt and Road mid-term action plan. We will
deepen cooperation in traditional fields and accelerate development
in digital and green economies, exploring new potential in
innovation, new energy, biotechnology, and environmental
protection. Recently, Chinese automakers Chery, Geely, and Lynk
& Co showcased their products at the Belgrade Motor Show,
adding highlights to China-Serbia economic and trade cooperation. I
believe the scope of our collaborative endeavors will only expand,
broadening the path of cooperation between the two countries.
GT: In your view, how has the BRI impacted
China-Serbia relations and cooperation? Please detail two
successful cooperation projects you have observed.
Li: Serbia is a key partner in the BRI,
being among the first European countries to sign a cooperation
agreement with China. The
integration of the BRI into Serbia's national development over the
last decade serves as a model for the international community.
Projects like the Hungary-Serbia railway, the Belgrade Ring Road,
the Sava River Bridge, and the Smederevo steel plant have
significantly improved the daily lives of locals, boosting
employment, trade, and investment, and injecting new vigor into
Serbia's development. Among these, the Smederevo steel plant and
the Hungary-Serbia railway stand out as exemplary cases.
The Smederevo steel plant, once hailed as the
pride of Serbia and boasting over a century of history, faced
closure due to mismanagement. In 2016, under the BRI, China's HBIS signed with the Serbian
government to establish HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel. In less
than six months, the steel plant turned profitable after seven
years of losses, becoming Serbia's largest exporter for four
consecutive years. Importantly, all 5,000 Serbian employees were
retained, rekindling hope for thousands of families and
exemplifying the success of China-Serbia cooperation under the Belt
and Road framework.
In 2013, the Hungary-Serbia railway project was
announced shortly after the implementation of the BRI. In 2022, the
Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Hungary-Serbia railway was
completed and opened to traffic, reducing the travel time between
the two cities from 90 minutes to 30 minutes. Over the last two
years, the Belgrade-Novi Sad section has transported over 7 million
passengers.
Excited about the project, President Vucic said,
"This is a significant change for the Serbian people and the entire
country." The Serbia section of the Hungary-Serbia railway line is
expected to be completed by the end of 2024, and it is believed
that it will become the "road to happiness" and "road to
prosperity" for the Serbian people, as well as a road of friendship
between China and Serbia.
Under the guidance of the BRI, China and Serbia will continue to uphold the
principle of planning together, building together and benefiting
together, focusing on connectivity and achieving new brilliant
results in policy communication, facility connectivity, trade
facilitation, financial integration, and people-to-people
bonds.
GT: What new impetus has the China-Serbia Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) injected into the economic and trade
cooperation between the two countries and what has it
achieved?
Li: The China-Serbia FTA is the first free
trade agreement signed between China and a Central and Eastern European
country, and it is also the 22nd free trade agreement signed by
China. Serbia has become
China's 29th free trade partner
globally.
After the agreement comes into effect, both
countries' citizens and businesses will benefit from it. Serbian
producers and traders can actively utilize the free trade
arrangement between the two countries to access major consumer
markets worldwide, and attract Chinese and European investors to
invest in Serbia.
Serbia has made high-level commitments in sectors
such as manufacturing, construction, and information communication,
providing Chinese companies with greater certainty and broader
opportunities to explore the Serbian market and even the Central
and Eastern European markets.
The China-Serbia FTA will help both sides to
achieve high-level mutual openness, establish new institutional
arrangements for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, create a
more favorable, convenient, transparent, and stable business
environment for businesses from both countries, and inject new
momentum into promoting high-quality joint construction of the BRI
and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between
China and Serbia.
GT: Please introduce the Belgrade China
Cultural Center to our readers. How do you feel about the cultural
and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries? What
activities can we look forward to in the near future?
Li: The Belgrade China Cultural Center holds a
very special position and significance among the dozens of Chinese
cultural centers overseas. It stands on the site of the former
Chinese Embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Belgrade, which was bombed by NATO in 1999,
symbolizing the rebirth and indomitable spirit of the Chinese
nation. It bears witness to the deep friendship forged by the
Chinese and Serbian people with blood and life, and also
demonstrates the Chinese people's love for peace and their national
character of not fearing power.
The cultural center has now started operating,
becoming a convenient window for the Serbian people to learn about
China and experience Chinese
culture. It has become a new platform for telling Chinese stories
and showcasing China's images, as
well as a bridge for promoting cultural exchanges and mutual
learning between China and
Serbia.
The cultural center not only provides
opportunities for Chinese cultural displays and teaching such as
calligraphy, tea art, musical instruments, dance, and martial arts,
but also focuses on building its own cultural brand activities. In
May 2024, the center will host the
first "Tea and the World" event in conjunction with International
Tea Day, followed by the first China-Serbia Dragon Boat Festival,
the 2024 Chinese Film Week, and the "Hello! China" tourism promotion event.
GT: What exemplary role and positive impact
have China-Serbia relations played on the cooperation between
China and Central and Eastern
European (CEE) Countries?
Li: As an important country in Central and
Eastern Europe, Serbia is walking
hand in hand with China, and
bilateral relations are steadily developing. This not only sets an
example for cooperation between China and CEE countries under the BRI, but
also injects more stability into China's relations with Central and Eastern
European countries. The successful practice of China-Serbia
cooperation fully proves that China and CEE countries can become good
friends and partners in the process of jointly moving toward
modernization.
China is willing
to work together with countries in Central and Eastern Europe to firmly grasp the overall
direction and main tone of the development of bilateral relations
from a strategic height, respect each other, achieve mutual benefit
and win-win results, and promote regional peace, stability, and
prosperity.
GT: What's your take on President Vucic's
recent remarks on the Taiwan
question? How have China and
Serbia supported each other on issues concerning each other's core
interests?
Li: At the beginning of this year, in an
interview with China's state news
agency, President Vucic used 10 seconds to illustrate Serbia's firm
position of adhering to the one-China principle, and then in an interview with
the media, he clearly stated that Taiwan belongs to China.
President Vucic's remarks on the Taiwan question not only spoke to the just
call of the international community, but also strongly
demonstrated, once again, that China and Serbia have always firmly supported
each other's core interests and major concerns, and firmly
supported each other's development path choice.
China and Serbia
are true friends and good partners who trust each other. Over the
years, Serbia has firmly supported China on issues related to Taiwan, Hong
Kong, Xinjiang, and human rights, and China has always firmly supported Serbia in
safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China is willing to continue to
respect, support, trust, and treat each other as equals with Serbia
and push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership between
the two countries.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1311545.shtml
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SOURCE Global Times