26 July 2018

Council President Nikolić appointed Honorary President of the Sino-Serbian Economic Association

Photograph: Office of the National Council

 

Remarks by the President of the National Council at the ceremony marking the establishment of the Sino-Serbian Economic Association

Throughout its entire history, China was the motherland of able leaders, protectors, developers and providers of better life. The revered Confucius said that great men tend to the most exacting of tasks themselves. Not only did President Xi Jinping take it upon himself to complete the difficult mission of helping China to rise, while reinforcing it economically and making sure that all of its citizens live a dignified life, but he also took a step further and lent a helping hand to other countries and nations.  

Photograph: Office of the National Council

 

Serbia was the first stop in Europe where China cast anchor for a number of reasons: the Serbs, too, are a nation steeped in history, tradition and culture, a nation which relentlessly fought against the occupiers and one which made great sacrifices both in the First and the Second World War, when it combatted fascism, Nazism and other major scourges. All of this is common knowledge in China, and sometimes it seems to me that the Chinese hold us in higher regard than we hold ourselves. All the countries working together with China in the future will enjoy prosperity, as this is an altogether new model of cooperation. Some Western voices say that this is an invasion of territory, but invaders do not build motorways, power facilities and cultural centres, while great men and great nations do. Serbia first saw the arrival of small Chinese firms, sole traders and entrepreneurs, who sometimes offered inferior quality goods at very low prices. Some of us could not even start to imagine the range of goods that China can produce. It is the “Belt and Road” strategy that has shown what China is made of. The future holds many more deals to be concluded with our Chinese partners, deals arranged between friends, where no conditions apply, with no patterns governing our conduct, as it is in our interest to have all the above built, while China has to invest the revenue it generates every day. I would like to thank Ambassador Li Manchang – sometimes one is unsure whether he acts more on behalf of Serbia or China.

I wish every success and all the best to the Sino-Serbian Economic Association, and I am calling on Serbian entrepreneurs and companies to engage in the work of this non-compulsory, but very helpful association.

To conclude, allow me to convey to you special greetings from President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, who wished you every success in your future collaboration.