Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarović said that the government is working to attract as many Chinese companies as possible to Serbia, adding that the Chinese textile giant Gua Nan could soon arrive.
“I expect the investment to be in the south of the country. Chinese partners do not invest in places that are not stable. We have shown trust to our Chinese friends,” Mesarović told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).
Speaking about her recent visit to China, she said that the most important outcomes of such visits are made possible through President Aleksandar Vučić, whose meetings with Chinese leaders create the conditions for agreements to move forward.
“The absolutely magical word there is the surname of our president — it opens every door. Thanks to his personal friendship with President Xi Jinping, our ‘iron friendship’ is not a matter of daily politics but a long-established strategic relationship. All of President Xi’s associates, mayors and provincial governors we speak with, closely follow his leadership. It is also important that our two presidents signed a statement on building a shared future,” she said.
Mesarović noted that this was her fourth visit to China, during which she met with representatives of 71 companies interested in investing in Serbia.
“There is no better recommendation than when one Chinese company recommends you to another. We met with officials from Shanghai and Xiamen, which is equally important because they are strong political partners to us,” she added.
According to her, Serbia is promoting food industry products in China because Serbian goods are price-competitive in that market.
She highlighted Shanghai’s scale — a city of 40 million residents consuming 70,000 tons of food and beverages daily — as well as opportunities in Xiamen (5.2 million residents) and Fuzhou (8.2 million residents), emphasizing the immense potential for Serbian exporters.
“They liked that our first shipments included Serbian wine, rakija, honey, confectionery products, dried plums, fresh fruits and vegetables. Serbian products are absolutely competitive. We are knocking on every door and will increasingly appear in this format. We are doing everything we can to bring more Chinese investors to Serbia. That means new jobs, more revenue for the state, and opportunities to raise salaries and pensions,” Mesarović said.
