Serbian PM opens China-CE Europe economic forum

Serbian PM opens China-CE Europe economic forum

Economic growth is a priority for Central and Eastern European states, and investments and reforms are the two prerequisites for it, Vucic said.

Investments are the goal of this region, we need an injection of trust and strength, and that is the essence of this forum - creating ties between China and this region, the Serbian prime minister said.

The second prerequisite depends on us: we must reform and change ourselves - no one will invest in us if we do not keep investing in ourselves, Vucic added.

He said that he is confident that Belgrade Meeting is the beginning of new, better times and cooperation across the region.

It is an honor to host this big event, Vucic said, adding that the forum has given Serbia the opportunity to be a place where the economies of the East and the West meet, and where officials and businesspeople discuss new possibilities for economic development and development in the participating countries.

An old Chinese saying goes: the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now - we must not waste this opportunity and we have no right to, the Serbian prime minister said.

Our goal is to improve relations in Central and Eastern Europe, to learn and draw lessons from our past and pave a new way, based on the principles of cooperation, progress and peace in the Balkans and entire Europe, Vucic said.

Most of all, the significance of the forum lies in the possibility for improving our economy and the economic ties with participating countries, he said.

Serbia's membership in the European Union is a national priority and our goal is to invest in infrastructure to make Serbia a bridge linking the East and the West, Vucic noted.

Over the next five years, half of the growth will come from Asia, and this forum is an exceptional opportunity for creating new chances and new jobs as well as for economic development, he said.

Serbia can act as a new platform, a place where future business deals, investment plans and the opening of new joint companies can be agreed and organized, he said.

We hope that we will become a location in Europe where new ideas and new possibilities for prosperity can be nurtured and utilized as the driving force of economic growth, Vucic said, and added:

"We must learn how to say no, because saying yes all the time and being forthcoming towards everyone usually spells a disastrous end for a leader, as well as for his nation."

"No to irresponsibility, yes to common sense, to keeping one's word and to dependability, no to deficits, yes to fiscal consolidation, no to wastefulness, yes to investments and growth," he explained.

For this, he added, we need courage and resolve, a new, different leadership and strength.

I am confident that people in our part of Europe understand this excellently and that, in spite of all the difficulties that they are facing, they support this policy because it is a serious, responsible policy, Vucic noted.

He thanked China as Serbia's strong and dependable partner for its confidence in Serbia and the potential of the region, as well as for the example that has been set as to how economies, including the Serbian economy, can go towards recovery and growth.

We have always been learning from our Chinese friends, and we will continue to do so - we are not ashamed of that, we are proud of that, the Serbian prime minister noted.

This region could be the next driving force of growth in Europe, the engine taking European economies out of the dangerous zone of stagnation, Vucic said.

There is great potential for a continued partnership, in particular in the areas of transport, infrastructure and energy, Vucic said, noting that economic growth is Serbia's priority.

We are committed to seizing every possible opportunity that will help the progress of our country and the region, but there are two prerequisites for that, he said, adding that, first of all, investments are the region's goal.

This region needs an injection of trust and strength, and that is the essence of this forum - creating economic partnerships between China and the countries of the region to encourage investments, kick-start investment projects, share experiences and improve our economies, Vucic said.

The second prerequisite depends on us, and it is a much tougher task, he said.

We must reform and change ourselves - no one will invest in us if we do not keep investing in ourselves, Vucic said, adding that, in this regard, Serbia is ready to embrace some of the exceptional experiences from Central Europe, the Baltic states and Poland.

We must try to be responsible to the same extent and in the same manner as the peoples of those countries have been committed to their own progress, Vucic noted.

Our country is resolved to use all strategic and competitive advantages and not miss the opportunities that present themselves to it, he said.

Noting that EU membership is a national priority for Serbia, Vucic said that Serbia's goal at the same time is to become a country linking the East and the West - by investing in infrastructure, through railways, ports and air transport.

With access to the European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets, we are in a good position to become one of the region's commercial hubs, Vucic said.

Now that an agreement has been reached with the Chinese and the Hungarian side, by constructing the railway line from Belgrade to Budapest we will take the steps towards turning our vision into reality, he said.

The completion of the regional project - one of the most important projects for us - will allow for faster movement of goods and passengers, improving the ties among Central and Eastern European countries, Vucic noted.

The bridge between Zemun and Borca, which is now complete, serves as an example of successful economic and commercial cooperation and proof of good joint work by Serbia and China, Vucic said, adding that there are many more projects of that kind.

When I think about the future, I see a clear picture of connecting Europe, of growth and development, technological innovations but, most of all, I see our region, which will be characterized by a sense of responsibility, seriousness and hard work so that we can join the most highly developed part of our continent in terms of values and in every other sense, Vucic said.

Serbia has undertaken difficult but necessary measures that will steer it to the path of political and, most of all, economic reforms, he added.

We are reducing the trade deficit, we are privatizing poorly performing and inefficient state-owned enterprises and introducing other measures to improve regulations and make Serbia truly open to business and a good place for investments from both the West and the East, he said.

In addition to the labour law and the privatization, bankruptcy and pension laws, we have adopted a new law on planning and construction, we have set up a quick response service, expediting procedures for issuing building permits, he said.

In this regard, we followed the examples set by our Macedonian and Croatian friends, he said.

Earlier on, we also passed a set of modern laws, and the decision to embark on implementing tough austerity measures was our own, the prime minister said.

Serbia is resolved to make its economy more competitive, be an attractive place for investments and ensure that investors can count on the security of their capital and profits, as well as on government support, he noted.

We believe that economic growth and job creation are goals common to everyone attending - the prosperity of a country need not, and must not, be at the expense of others: if we work and act together, the strengthening of the economic ties among our countries will bring benefits to all citizens, he said.

I believe that this forum is the beginning of better times and closer economic cooperation for the entire region - this proves how partnership and a shared vision can incite change and better cooperation among our countries, Prime Minister Vucic concluded.

"Smells like spring"

A business council of China and countries of the Central and Eastern Europe will be formed, as a new step and a new phase in their mutual cooperation, China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang said at the opening of the Economic Forum in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Li noted that the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries should be raised to a higher level and be more fruitful.

"Even though it is winter, it smells like spring. We should expect a fruitful spring," he said.

The Chinese prime minister stressed that it is a great pleasure for him to come to Serbia, which he described as a beautiful country, and to attend the Fourth Economic Forum of China and Central and Eastern European Countries.

Speaking about cooperation opportunities, Li specifically pointed out infrastructure projects and closer financial cooperation, noting that China could set up a new investment fund of USD 3 billion.

The Chinese prime minister said that he expects new models of cooperation, such as the public-private partnerships, adding that there are more opportunities to increase, and even double, the volume of trade between China and the CEECs.

Good results were achieved over the past year, said Li, specifying that Montenegro doubled its exports to China in that period, while many countries, such as the Czech Republic and Romania, reported a 20-30 percent increase in exports.

He underscored that the Chinese government will make room for the promotion of imported products and organize an investment fair similar to the meeting staged on Tuesday. He also expressed the expectation that Serbia will take part in the event.

Li expressed the belief that if all countries used their potentials fully, world economy would no longer suffer from any problems and would find its way out of the hardships and continue moving forward.

He said that certain emerging economies are facing a drop in the value of their national currencies and added that world economy is also in a way afflicted by increasingly high inflationary pressures.

The real question is whether the situation would deteriorate further, and we need to prepare for this possibility, Li said and underscored that the improvement of living conditions for the citizens is an important issue, as well as peace and stability.

World economy needs to establish such cooperation between partners so that they may mutually complement each other, as is the case with the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries where both sides can contribute to their partners' progress, the Chinese prime minister said.

According to Li, Central and Eastern European countries and other countries worldwide hold major potentials. He added that although there is a gap between the north and the south and between certain parts of China and Europe, it is precisely this gap that can offer certain potentials.

Big European countries have progressive economies and technology and Central and Eastern European countries have considerable potential for development, Li said and added that China has major production capacities.

He also said that China is shifting its focus from consumer good production to manufacturing advanced technology and equipment.

This is precisely the area of complementarity and supplementarity for the two sides, Li said and noted that China offered to help some European countries without delay and purchased their bonds, thus sending a strong signal that it is a responsible long-term investor.

China purchased the bonds to help both these countries and itself, Li said. He stated that his country wishes Europe to be powerful and prosperous and added that China would like to see the euro as a strong currency.