Čadež: Serbia and Jiangsu Building a Bridge of Innovation and Technological Cooperation

"China is now Serbia’s leading foreign investor, with over 7 billion euros in foreign direct investment, our second-largest foreign trade partner, the top country we import from, and the third largest export destination for Serbian products globally," said Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, at the opening of the Economic and Trade Conference and business meetings between Serbian companies and representatives from China’s Jiangsu province, which gathered nearly 400 participants.

He emphasized that the Free Trade Agreement with China has opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, enabling the realization of joint projects and noted that Serbia–China relations have gained significant momentum in recent years.
Čadež highlighted the importance of Jiangsu as one of the most developed provinces in China, with 85 million consumers and strong innovation potential.
"Jiangsu stands out not only because of its high GDP and vast market of 85 million consumers, but also for its prominent position on the global innovation and technology map," Čadež stated.
He stressed that Serbia aims to establish an "innovation bridge"—a digital bridge—with Jiangsu by connecting domestic technology parks, innovation centers, and top scientific institutions with those in this Chinese province.

"We have already begun concrete discussions with representatives of the Suzhou Industrial Park, one of the most successful industrial parks in China and a symbol of cooperation between China and foreign investors in the field of high technologies. We are considering opening their office on the premises of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and incorporating them into our development project, 'ScaleUp Factory.' We are actively working on this," Čadež said.

He underlined that Serbia is interested in attracting more Chinese high-tech companies, and that Jiangsu already sees Serbia as a potential European hub. More than half of the companies in the Jiangsu delegation expressed interest in production and joint projects with Serbian firms.

"In partnership with Chinese companies, we can best leverage our resources and integrate into global innovation flows," Čadež noted, adding that the strong presence of Chinese companies reflects the positive experience of those already operating in Serbia.

Čadež also emphasized Serbia’s upcoming participation in the Supply Chain Expo in Beijing this July, where 11 Serbian companies from the digital technology, food, and logistics sectors will be showcased.

"Producers from the confectionery industry, the ICT and embedded systems sector, as well as logistics companies, will participate in the fair," said the President of the Chamber, recalling that during the March visit of the China Chamber of Commerce delegation, an invitation was extended to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) to open its representative office in Belgrade.

"Such a step would crown our partnership and mark an important milestone toward a more substantial and dynamic economic cooperation between our two countries," Čadež concluded.

Adrijana Mesarović, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Economy, stated that the relationship between Serbia and China transcends traditional economic frameworks.
"This is a friendship based on profound respect, mutual trust, and a long-term vision of shared progress. Within this relationship, cooperation with Jiangsu holds special importance as it aligns Serbia’s orientation toward innovation and sustainable development with China’s expertise in industrial transformation, digitalization, and the green economy," said Mesarović.
She pointed out that Jiangsu leads in the fields of electronic equipment, green energy, and biotechnology. She added that Serbian exports to China have tripled in the past three years, and that the country is experiencing growth in investments in green and digital transition.
"Serbia is a stable and attractive partner, with free trade agreements covering 2.5 billion people," Mesarović emphasized, announcing the opening of the first "Serbian House" in the Chinese city of Xiamen, as well as plans to open a "Jiangsu House" in Serbia.

Xin Changxing, Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee, said that China and Serbia are “ironclad friends” and that the goal of the forum is to strengthen trade and technological cooperation. He noted that Jiangsu is a region with a rich history and an important point within the Belt and Road Initiative.
He emphasized that Jiangsu wants to help Serbia access Asian markets, expand trade exchange, and increase imports of Serbian products such as honey, wine, and meat. He added that the visa-free regime and direct air routes further connect the people and accelerate the building of a shared future.
Chinese Ambassador Li Ming emphasized that the strategic alignment of Jiangsu’s innovation potential with Serbia’s reindustrialization can bring new momentum to the development of the entire region.