Peng Jiaxue (left) meets Sinisa Mali, Serbian deputy prime minister and minister of finance. [Photo/WeChat account: nbfb0574]

A delegation led by Peng Jiaxue, Party chief of Ningbo, visited Serbia from Nov 16 to 18 with the goal of strengthening cooperation between the two regions across multiple sectors.

During the visit, Peng Jiaxue held a meeting with Sinisa Mali, Serbian deputy prime minister and minister of finance. Mali offered a warm welcome to the delegation and provided detailed information on Serbia's economic development, foreign investment, employment, and preparations for the 2027 Belgrade Expo. He also discussed the Open Balkans Initiative, expressing his hope for increased economic and trade exchanges with Ningbo under the bilateral trade agreement between China and Serbia.

Peng expressed his gratitude to Mali for his support and interest in Ningbo's development. He emphasized the city's efforts to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, particularly with Serbia. Peng also expressed his hope that Serbia will continue to advance exchanges and cooperation with Ningbo in various fields, including economy, trade, and culture.

As part of their visit, the delegation attended an economic and trade cooperation seminar in Belgrade, which 22 Ningbo companies and 43 Serbian companies participated in. A number of agreements were signed during the event, including agreements on the import of food and consumer goods such as beef and red wine.

In another testament to the strong relationship between the two regions, the delegation visited Novi Sad, a sister city of Ningbo and the second-largest city in Serbia, a day later. The delegation traveled on the Hungary-Serbia Railway, a flagship infrastructure project built under the Belt and Road Initiative, to meet with Mayor Milan Duric. Both sides expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation in various areas, such as industrial development, digital economy, infrastructure, and culture, with the aim of further strengthening the friendly city relationship between the two regions.

Additionally, the delegation visited an automotive parts factory in Loznica, which is funded by Ningbo-based Minth Group, on Nov 18. The visit provided valuable insights into the factory's overseas layout, research and development, and production processes.