Serbia and China scrap visas, sign other contracts in Riga

Serbia and China scrap visas, sign other contracts in Riga

Vucic and Li were in Riga for the Summit of Heads of Government of China and the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe

Vucic has asked the Chinese Premier to assist in finding the solution to this mining and smelting complex.

Vucic "informed Keqiang about the agreements that the two countries have signed in Riga and about infrastructure projects that are in progress, and stressed that Serbia is very proud to cooperate with the People's Republic of China."

"Without your support we would not have managed to overcome the difficulties. Your role in taking over the Zelezara Smederevo steelworks saved Serbia," the Serbian PM stated.

Li "expressed his satisfaction with cooperation between the two countries, which has brought concrete benefits to the peoples of Serbia and China."

"Our peoples have always respected each other, and today we are very happy because of your economic progress," he stressed.

Li also "expressed concern for the personal safety of Prime Minister Vucic, and also wished success in further economic development and progress of Serbia," the Serbian government said on itt website.

While in Riga, Vucic attended the signing of an agreement with Exim Bank of China for the construction of a road section between Surcin and Obrenovac and another with with the company Sinohydro to build ring road around Belgrade on the section between Bubanj potok and the Ostruznica bridge, as well as of a memorandum between the Serbian Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure and company Huawei.

Agreements and contacts

Also in Riga, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, signed an agreement on mutual abolition of visas.

Serbian and Chinese citizens will no longer require visas for staying up to 30 days in either country.

Serbia has thus become the first country in the Central and Eastern Europe region to sign such an agreement with China.

Additionally, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic and president of Exim Bank Liu Liange signed a contract on financing construction of the Surcin-Obrenovac highway worth EUR 208 million.

Mihajlovic and the director of Serbian public road company Roads of Serbia signed with Chinese company Power Construction Corporation of China a commercial contract for the continuation of construction of the ring road around Belgrade, worth EUR 207 million.

This contract covers work on the section from the Ostruznica Bridge to Bubanj potok, and the contract stipulates that domestic companies participate in the construction works with 49 percent.

As part of the Fifth Summit of Heads of Government of China and the 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe which is being held in Riga, Mihajlovic signed a memorandum with the Chinese company Huawei on cooperation in the development of management systems and telecommunications in transport and infrastructure.