Mali: Xi's visit opens new chapter of cooperation and Serbia's economic growth

BELGRADE - Besides being politically significant and boosting Serbia's reputation, Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Belgrade is very important economically as well and opens up new prospects for Serbia and a new chapter in its cooperation with China as well as its overall growth and development, Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Thursday.

"Besides EXPO 2027, the FTA with China, which takes effect on July 1, is the biggest development opportunity for Serbia for the next 15 to 20 years," Mali said in an appearance on Pink TV.

Serbia has a FTA with the CEFTA and good relations with EU member states, as well as FTAs with the Eurasian Economic Union and Turkey and preferential status with the US, Mali noted.

"Now that we also have a FTA with China, the question arises of why someone who wants to invest in a country would not come to Serbia," he added.

"In our country, they (foreign investors) have all the conditions when it comes to infrastructure, a good geographic position, a stable environment, an attractive, competitive economy, and when they build a factory and hire Serbians, they can manufacture products and export to countries with a total population of two billion," Mali said.