Čadež: The Belt and Road Initiative Has Never Been More Necessary Than Today

At a time of global tensions, divisions, and uncertainty, and when supply chains are increasingly exposed to various pressures, initiatives such as the Belt and Road have never been more necessary, said Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, speaking today at the Belt and Road Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum in Beijing.

Addressing the Forum participants, Čadež emphasized that this year’s China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) and the Belt and Road Forum are taking place at a particularly important moment for Serbia-China relations, following the recent visit of the President of Serbia to China, which opened a new chapter in the economic relations between the two countries.

According to Čadež, cooperation between Serbia and China is focused on new technologies, e-mobility, robotics, green energy, advanced manufacturing, and smart infrastructure, building on the development priorities outlined in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and Serbia’s Development Strategy 2030–2035, which share key strategic objectives.

“Innovation, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies will serve as the main guide and ally in building a digital, green, and sustainable Belt and Road, as well as new business models based on openness, cooperation, and trust,” Čadež stated.

Speaking about the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia stressed that the Initiative is entering a new phase of development, in which partnerships will no longer be defined solely by geography but also by technology and innovation.

“Serbia aims to become not only a logistics and manufacturing hub, but also a technology hub along the Belt and Road — a smart crossroads between Asia and Europe, where innovation, manufacturing, and logistics converge,” Čadež emphasized.

He recalled that the results of the Belt and Road Initiative for Serbia and other participating countries are already visible through the construction of roads and railways, including the Belgrade–Budapest high-speed railway, the implementation of energy and industrial projects, the establishment of new factories, free trade agreements, new business opportunities, and job creation.

On the second day of the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), the Serbian delegation, led by Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Jagoda Lazarević, met in Beijing ahead of the Forum with representatives of OIG Group (Youhe Group), one of China’s largest companies specializing in the import of frozen food products.

As Minister Lazarević pointed out, the Chinese company has expressed interest in importing frozen fruit, particularly berries, as well as meat products, especially poultry. This represents a concrete next step in implementing the protocol on the export of Serbian poultry meat to China, which was signed during the Serbian President’s visit to China in May this year.