Chinese expertise brings cities closer together

The City Manager of Belgrade, Miroslav Cuckovic, said recently that the city authorities would sign a contract with the German rail company Deutsche Bahn in early May to become the main supervisor of the subway project.

He told local media RTS that the Belgrade subway will be the second fully automated, driverless subway in the world, the other being in Qatar.

Belgrade hopes to complete its first subway line, 21 km long with 21 stations, from Zeleznik to Mirijevo, by 2027 and a line of the same length with 23 stations from Mirijevo to Zemun, by 2030.

China Road and Bridge Corporation, a subsidiary of CCCC, has been commissioned by the Serbian government to build wastewater treatment plants in 65 municipalities across the country.

Serbia, a candidate for membership in the European Union, must meet EU environmental standards before it can become a member.

During the signing ceremony for the sewage treatment project in 2021, Serbia's then minister of construction, transport and infrastructure Tomislav Momirovic described the project as "Serbia's boldly stepping into the future and creating a modern, functional state".

On April 12, Momirovic, now minister of domestic and foreign trade, was in Beijing signing a memorandum of understanding with China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on starting negotiations on a free-trade agreement.

Wang described Serbia as an "ironclad friend" of China and said his country is willing to invest in the free trade agreement negotiations.

Momirovic said such an agreement would create a favorable environment and Serbia is willing to work with China to promote negotiations.