Serbia and China signed several bilateral agreements to strengthen their cooperation on Tuesday, the most important being the free trade agreement, according to which customs duties will no longer apply to Serb and Chinese products from when the agreement comes into force in late spring 2024.
Instead of attending the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana on Monday and Tuesday, President Aleksander Vučić travelled to China to sign several agreements. The absence of Vučić fuelled rumours amongst EU diplomats that he did not want to face difficult questions on the 24 September terrorist attack in north Kosovo, possible measures from the EU, and calls to reduce ties with Russia and China.
In the presence of Vučić and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, four agreements were signed in Beijing. Parties also agreed to a framework agreement for a high-speed highway construction project and an agreement for the modernisation of the fixed network, along with a protocol for cooperation in the development of the external (base) infrastructure of the Serbian Chinese Industrial Park “Mihajlo Pupin” in Serbia.
Under the new free trade agreement, 10,412 Serbian and 8,930 Chinese products will benefit, meaning that once the agreement comes into effect in May or June of next year, citizens of Serbia and China will no longer pay customs duties on these products, making them effectively duty-free.
Concerning infrastructure development in Serbia, the Transport, Infrastructure and Construction Ministry signed three commercial agreements with Chinese companies.
The agreements include the construction of the “Osmeh Vojvodine” high-speed motorway, which is due to start in the next few months, with permits already issued for the first 5.5 kilometres.
While the second agreement was signed to construct a 105-kilometre motorway linking Belgrade, Zrenjanin and Novi Sad, the third involves the purchase of five Chinese high-speed trains for €54 million.
Regarding the export of apples from Serbia, Agriculture Minister Jelena Tanasković signed an agreement with China to harmonise apple exports from Serbia. She pointed out that negotiations on this issue had lasted for six years.
In China, a contract was also signed with the Chinese company Huawei for the third phase of modernising Telekom Srbija’s fixed-line network. According to Vladimir Lučić, the company’s director, this is the final phase of the fixed network modernisation.
After meeting with the Chinese president, Vučić said the discussion was friendly and covered all important issues.
“We encountered absolute understanding from our Chinese friends, especially concerning Kosovo and Metohija (KiM). We discussed infrastructure connectivity, increasing the number of investments and further establishment of air routes,” he said.
“The foreign trade agreement is of great significance; we need to thrive even before entering the EU. It’s crucial that honey producers derive significant benefits from this agreement. We aim to have this agreement come into force before May or June. I am very proud of that. Digital technology and innovation are helping to speed up cooperation in these areas,” he added.
(Jelena Jevtić | EURACTIV.rs)
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