Croat PM "sends message to Serbia, misses chance with China"

Croat PM "sends message to Serbia, misses chance with China"

Serbia used the opportunity "to present itself to the world as the gateway for Chinese capital in the Balkans and Europe," while the Serbian prime minister held meetings with 15 prime ministers, and discussed a number of projects.

Those include the Timisoara-Belgrade highway, the Belgrade-Budapest railroad, road infrastructure between Bosnia and Serbia, and the Belgrade-Bar railroad.

Furthermore, the Chinese will take part in the modernization of the Kostolac power plant and build a 50-kilometer section of the Corridor 11 highway, noted the article, and added:

"China, whose economy has officially surpassed the strength of the American economy, making it the world's leading economic power, had very favorable trade exchange with Croatia last year."

The daily said that according to Croatia's statistical office China sold goods worth "4.4 billion (Croatian) kunas" while Croatia's export amounted to only 434 million.

And while China has shown interest in investing, primarily in Croatian ports and railroads, no investment project has been realized to date.

The paper observed that Serbia, on the other hand already has several projects, and that this was "something that Premier Aleksandar Vucic and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic have been stressing with pride these days."

Serbia expects the summit to produce a contract on building a modern railroad line with up to 200 kmph speeds between Belgrade and Budapest, and this subject will be discussed by the prime ministers of China, Serbia, and Hungary.

"A part of that project of the future is a modern railroad that will link China with Europe with high speed trains, and is already being described as the main transport and logistics route between Asia and Europe," the article said, and quoted the Tourist Organization of Belgrade's estimate that the local hospitality industry would be earning about a million euros each year from it.

At the same time, the Croatian daily said, the Chinese "charm offensive" is aimed at showing the world that its capital is ready to arrive in Central and Eastern Europe - a region American and European capital is not showing much interest in.

"Only (Croatian) Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic missed this truly impressive gathering that brought together as many as 6,600 participants - in protest over Chetnik Vojvoda Vojisla Seselj's statements. Although he sent a clear message to Serbia, he missed the opportunity to speak with Li Keqiang and other prime ministers," noted the daily.