Former president of Serbia: The B&R Initiative brings opportunities for the development of East-Central Europe

“Belt and Road Initiative is one of the most important strategical projects in recent history.” During an exclusive interview with China.org.cn, former President of Serbia H.E. Boгis Tadić talked about the relevant issues.

former President of Serbia H.E. Boгis Tadić

China.org.cn: In your opinion, what opportunities and challenges will the Belt and Road Initiative bring to the development of East-Central Europe?

Boгis Tadić: From my point of view this is one of the most important strategical problems, processes and projects in recent history, which is connecting continents. This is not only a chance for Southeast or Central and Eastern European countries, but also for all countries that are on that path.

For Serbia, and 16 countries plus China, this is a very important project regarding future and current circumstances in the European Union.

Many strategies in Europe are right now thinking about Europe at different speeds. The first speed is of the original European Union countries. The second speed is of countries that have become member states in the past few years, and the third speed may be with countries that are applying to be member states of the European Union.

In that respect, what China is right now doing with the strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative, is very important for the development of our region, which is not totally integrated into the European Union today. China is building infrastructure, China is investing in technological industries, China is opening more working spaces and in that respect China is speeding up the process of developing and raising our GDP very fast.

In that respect, China is going to be an extremely important global player in this part of Europe.

Sixteen European countries, plus China, this is a great vision and a very sustainable vision from my point of view.

Nowadays in Serbia, China is working on building China-Europe land-sea express, which is going to connect Serbia with Hungary, with Macedonia, and with Greece. The final destination is harbor Piraeus.

But when I was the president, I remember, China was building one of the first infrastructural projects on European soil, that was a bridge over River Danube, and this is crystal clear evidence that China can build all sorts of infrastructural projects in Europe today.  

China.org.cn: Over the past 30 years China has raised almost 800 million people above the poverty line. What is your comment on China’s achievement in poverty reduction and what kind of experiences can other countries learn from China’s successful poverty reduction experience?

Boгis Tadić: This is one of the biggest successes ever in politics, in the social aspect of politics, and in terms of efficient economy. I am totally fascinated by China’s success, and this is something that I am always using as example of how one country, which is implementing new strategies of development, can bring benefits for ordinary people.

By doing this, China was stabilizing this country. And that was one of the preconditions of further achievements, and further plans.

The Belt and Road Initiative is an initiative which is defining a totally new initiative for China. But without reducing poverty in the past, that strategy wasn’t possible. And in that respect I am trying to explain how one step of the vision, of the plan, can be extremely important, regarding other plans.

We had significant results in poverty reduction, but China is the real world champion in that respect.

(Planning: Wang Donghai; Host: Liu Mengya; Editing: Liu Mengya, Yeerken, Sanna Selene D.; Cameraman: Guo Junkui. China.org.cn, China Development Gateway, The Emerging Markets Institute of Beijing Normal University co-produced )