Mutual trust boosts China-Serbia economic cooperation: PM Brnabic

BELGRADE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The trade between Serbia and China is getting stronger every day, showing the trust of Chinese companies in Serbia, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said here on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the Chamber of Chinese Companies in Serbia.

The ceremony, which was also attended by representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Serbia and Chinese companies, was accompanied by an exhibition on environment protection and sustainable development.

In her address, Brnabic stressed the important role the new chamber will play in advancing the two countries' partnership.

"In a moment like this, the establishment of the chamber is a clear message that Chinese companies have trust in Serbia, in the political and economic stability of Serbia, and that they have the intention to invest more and further in our country," she said.

Praising the strengthening of economic cooperation between Serbia and China in recent years, she said that in 2021 bilateral trade exchanges were worth 5.3 billion euros (5.86 billion U.S. dollars), and that in the past five years the volume of Serbia's exports to China increased 15 times.

Song Sihai, director of HBIS Serbia, who became the president of the Chamber of Chinese Companies in the country, said that the new chamber could provide advice to Chinese companies interested in developing their business in Serbia.

He said that Chinese companies will benefit from this chamber through learning, support and the exchange of experiences, as well as by bringing the chamber's members and the local business circles closer to each other.

Tian Yishu, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, recalled that the excellent relations between the two countries promoted economic growth and the realization of numerous projects in fields of infrastructure, energy and production capacities, and that the volume of bilateral trade increased by 52.5 percent from 2020 to 2021 despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"All people present here are participants and promoters of China-Serbia economic cooperation, and I believe that through cooperation of institutions for promotion of investments, and through mutual cooperation between Chinese and Serbian companies, economic and trade cooperation can be raised to an even higher level," he said.