China ready to up investments in CEE countries

China ready to up investments in CEE countries

Li underscored that the cooperation between China and CEE countries is a part of the cooperation between Beijing and the EU.

The cooperation between China and CEE region is in keeping with the European integration process and the EU legal framework, Li said at a joint news conference with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic upon the conclusion of the China-Central and Eastern Europe meeting in Belgrade.

He noted that observers from the EU were also invited to the summit, which shows that the cooperation between China and the region is a part of the cooperation between Beijing and the EU.

Li expressed the hope that the cooperation between China and CEE countries would contribute to peace and stability in the world.

He noted that the leaders of CEE countries who attended the meeting underscored that cooperation with China holds major potentials. China can provide equipment and financial support in the construction of infrastructure, which can help Europe set up a unified market and facilitate EU enlargement, Li noted.

According to the Chinese prime minister, CEE countries have considerable needs in terms of infrastructure development as an area that entails major investments and environmental improvements.

China has ample capacities for precisely such tasks and it is ready to open production plants in the region, Li said.

He noted that the meeting in Belgrade also covered cooperation in education, culture and tourism, and concluded that the cooperation between China and CEE countries is mutually beneficial.

The year to come will be the year of promotion of tourist cooperation, Li said. He noted that 100 million tourists from China visit countries abroad each year, and expressed the belief that a part of them would visit CEE countries soon.

Li said that China is ready to award a greater number of scholarships to students from CEE countries because exchange of knowledge in linguistics is also needed, and added that he felt the wish to learn the Serbian language during his visit to Belgrade.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic expressed the belief that Serbian citizens will derive significant benefits from the agreements reached at the meeting between China and 16 CEE countries.

Vucic said that an agreement was reached on Tuesday regarding the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade railroad which could later be expanded to Macedonia and Greece, which is excellent news for Serbia.

We also discussed other projects, not just the Kostolac thermal power plant, and the talks also covered the construction of an industrial zone, ports, transport hubs and engagement of Chinese companies in local projects, Vucic said.

The Serbian prime minister noted that he had bilateral talks with other prime ministers who took part in the meeting, and added that certain agreements will be signed with these countries, including Albania with which an agreement on recognition of driver's licenses should be closed.

He expressed gratitude to the Chinese prime minister for honoring Serbia by awarding it the role of the meeting's co-organizer, and underscored that he believes the cooperation with China through the 16-plus-one mechanism would bring numerous benefits to the countries in the region.

Vucic also expressed gratitude to other countries whose leaders took part in the Belgrade summit, adding that he believes the agreements reached on Tuesday would be beneficial to their countries and citizens.