Mesarovic: Chinese investments in Serbia have exceeded 7.2 bln euros

FOSHAN - Serbian Deputy PM and Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarovic said on Tuesday in Foshan, China, that Chinese investments in Serbia had exceeded 7.2 bln euros and that the processing industry held potential for advancement of cooperation.

Serbia's processing industry has already demonstrated its competitiveness when it comes to products ranging from wines and rakia to honey and dried fruit, Mesarovic said at a business forum that brought together furniture makers.

"There is clear potential for a significant expansion of (Serbian) presence in the Chinese market," Mesarovic said at the headquarters of Foshan-based EON Home Company.

Earlier, she also met with Foshan city officials.

"China is one of Serbia's most significant economic partners and its second-largest (foreign) investor, as well as a key external trade partner. As many as five out of Serbia's top ten exporters are Chinese-owned, which shows that this partnership has become a key pillar of our industrial and export development," Mesarovic said.

The cooperation is clearly structured and Chinese investments in Serbia include key sectors, from metallurgy and mining, the automotive industry and manufacturing to energy and high technologies, she added.

"That way, Serbia is positioning itself as an active part of global value chains. In that context, new initiatives also have special significance, as does cooperation in preparations for the specialised world EXPO 2027, to be held in Belgrade. That reconfirms an orientation towards technologies of the future and a new stage of industrial development," Mesarovic said.

She said Serbia was boosting its investment potential, as well as its position of the region's industrial and technology hub.

"In parallel, we are using the advantages of the FTA with China to ensure a stronger breakthrough of Serbian products into the Chinese market. Besides Iceland and Switzerland, Serbia is one of the few European countries that have such an agreement with China, and the first to have raised that cooperation to the level of a comprehensive strategic framework," Mesarovic said.