Beijing backs Chinese firms to invest in Serbia: Premier

China supports its enterprises to invest in Serbia and participate in Serbia's infrastructure construction in accordance with market rules and business principles, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who is here to attend the eighth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, April 11, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Li made the remarks when meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who is here to attend the eighth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik.

The Chinese premier said that in recent years practical cooperation between China and Serbia has been walking in steady steps, and the development of bilateral ties has seen sound momentum.

China is ready to continue cooperating with the Serbian side in trade and economy, and infrastructure construction, said Li.

He also called on the two countries to enhance personnel and people-to-people exchanges, and jointly push forward bilateral relations and cooperation for greater achievements.

Li added that he hoped Serbia can play an active role in promoting Chinese exports to Europe.

Brnabic hailed the progress in bilateral cooperation in politics, economy and trade, culture, education, tourism and the frequent personnel exchanges.

The Serbian leader said the major cooperation projects including the Serbian section of the Budapest-Belgrade Railway are progressing smoothly, which is conducive to bilateral ties.

She welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Serbia and expressed the hope to join China in further enhancing bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, mineral resources, energy, automobile, finance, culture and tourism to take bilateral relations to a new level.