From high-speed rail projects to tech innovation hubs, China and Serbia are writing a new playbook for international cooperation. Their partnership, supercharged by the Belt and Road Initiative, has seen trade grow by 35% last year – but there’s more brewing than spreadsheets and infrastructure!
Economic Power Duo
Belgrade’s new ‘Smart City’ project features Chinese AI solutions, while Serbian raspberries now fill supermarkets in Shanghai. 'We’re not just exchanging goods, but ideas,' says Bojan Petrović, a Belgrade economics student interning at a Chinese tech firm.
Cultural Heartstrings
This summer’s ‘Silk Road Music Fest’ in Novi Sad blended guzheng melodies with Balkan folk beats. Fans are already dubbing it 'EuroAsiaCoachella.' Meanwhile, Confucius Institutes report a 200% spike in Serbian students learning Mandarin since 2022.
What’s Next?
With plans for a joint space tech lab and expanded renewable energy projects, this partnership is reaching for the stars – literally. As Chinese entrepreneur Li Wei puts it: 'When pandas meet plum brandy, magic happens.'
Reference(s):
Watch: Bridging Borders – A new chapter in China-Serbia cooperation
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