Čadež: ​Let’s build this ‘Alliance of Ideas’ together to create a brighter, more connected, and innovative future for all our people

At the round table marking the establishment of the Alliance of Chambers of Commerce for the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) in the Chinese city of Chongqing, Marko Čadež, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), proposed the establishment of an "Alliance of Ideas" platform to connect all countries along the ILSTC corridor through technology, innovation, and knowledge exchange.

Today’s "Chongqing Session" for international chambers, held in anticipation of the Alliance’s founding in Beijing at the end of November, featured high officials and business association representatives from 16 countries, including Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.

"This Alliance will be a digital transformation platform for ILSTC countries, promoting innovation, developing startup ecosystems, and facilitating knowledge and technology transfer among our regions. The 'Alliance of Ideas' will unite top innovation institutions from each ILSTC member country, enabling them to collectively address new challenges," stated Čadež.
He emphasized Serbia's role in the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI), spotlighting its contributions to infrastructure connectivity projects, such as the Belgrade-Budapest high-speed railway. This positions Serbia as a crucial link between Europe and China.

"Serbia has become a key hub along the BRI route, benefitting from its strategic location and free trade agreements with the European Union, China, Russia, and the United States. These factors provide Serbia with unique advantages. Our country offers access to over 2.7 billion consumers worldwide, making it an ideal location for companies globally," Čadež noted.

The CCIS President highlighted Serbia’s rapidly growing digital economy, pointing out that, over the past decade, Serbia has emerged as a leader in information technology and innovation. Currently, ICT services and software exports exceed four billion dollars each year, making this sector the country’s top export.

He also mentioned that there are an estimated 200 to 300 startup accelerators, tech incubators, and innovation research institutions across the ILSTC countries.

Čadež emphasized that technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, e-commerce, and green technologies have the potential to significantly influence the future of the global economy, with ILSTC countries well-positioned to lead these trends.

He identified innovative centers and accelerators from China, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and other ILSTC corridor countries as key partners in this effort. Their collaboration could expedite the development of smart logistics solutions and Industry 4.0 advancements.

Serbia's proposal for the "Alliance of Ideas" is based on several key pillars: digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies, the development of startup ecosystems and innovation accelerators, technology and knowledge transfer, collaboration between companies and research institutions, and the alignment of policies and regulations to facilitate digital and innovation cooperation among member countries.

Together, through the "Alliance of Ideas," we can unlock the full potential of the International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC). This initiative aims to build a network of smart cities, digital economies, and innovation ecosystems that connect our countries not just through trade routes but also through shared visions for the future. Čadež emphasized, "Let’s build this ‘Alliance of Ideas’ together to create a brighter, more connected, and innovative future for all our people."

The ILSTC is a trade and logistics corridor that links regions in inland China with Southeast Asia, Europe, and beyond, utilizing a combination of rail, road, and sea routes. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the ILSTC seeks to enhance logistics, trade, and economic cooperation among the countries along this corridor.