CIIE good chance to deepen ties with China: Serbian PM

SHANGHAI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) "is a very good opportunity to further consolidate and deepen Serbia-China relations,", said Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic here Sunday.

Present at the CIIE as a guest country of honor, Serbia is happy to work with China to develop a "comprehensive, strategic and modern iron-clad friendship," Brnabic said at the opening ceremony of the sixth CIIE, which runs from Sunday to Friday.

Serbia is one of the first countries to recognize the importance of the expo, and participated in it every year, she said, adding that the country has attracted a large number of Chinese investors. From 2018 to 2022, the trade volume between the two countries increased significantly, with Serbian exports to China up 12.7 percent.

In the past years, Serbia and China have continuously enriched their political and economic cooperation. The two countries signed a free trade agreement at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last month in Beijing, opening a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.

Brnabic hoped to make good use of the free trade agreement and continue to tap the potential of bilateral collaboration in the future.