Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić has said early today that the goal is to make Belgrade and Serbia the regional centre for Chinese investment and Chinese companies in this part of Europe.

At the opening of the International Fair of Chinese Manufacturers “2017 Zhejiang Export Fair Serbia” in Belgrade, Minister said that Belgrade has now joined the group of big cities such as Berlin, Moscow and London, hosting the fairs of Chinese manufacturers and companies.

According to his words, the fair is the proof the strategic agreement between Serbia and China is not “a dead letter” but that the cooperation is expanding to the economy and the companies.
Mr Ljajić has expressed his expectation that this fair will contribute to an increase in the exchange of goods and direct contact between Chinese and Serbian entrepreneurs.

“Serbia imports 1.6 billion dollar worth goods from China, out of which 51 per cent are imported from third countries, even though it is Chinese goods”, says Mr Ljajić, adding that he expects the fair to contribute to direct contacts between the companies.

He has said that Serbia exports to China 25 million dollar worth goods, according to the Serbian data, and according to the Chinese data it is 180 million dollars.

“The question here is where that difference is. Serbian goods is imported in China through third countries”, he said adding this is why the fair is significant and that he believes that some of the presenters will decide to make production in Serbia.

Representative of the department for foreign trade of the Zhejiang Zhang Qianjiang Province said that the goal of the fair is to improve the relations between Serbia and that province even more.

He has stressed that trade of that province and Serbia amounted to 124 million dollars last year, out of which the import in Serbia was 120 million.

We mostly export machines, light industry, home appliances, textile and heavy industry.

He has added that the fair, which is being held in Serbia, will give the visitors an insight into the cutting edge products in the field of construction material, furniture, home appliances, lighting and decoration.

At the fair, which is to be held until May 20, more than 60 companies from the Chinese province Zhejiang will present. The host of the fair is the Department for foreign trade of Zhejiang province, one of the sponsors is Belmaks centre from Belgrade, and the event is supported by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Chinese Embassy to Serbia.