Pajtic meets with vice president of China in Beijing

BEIJING - President of the government of the Serbian Province of Vojvodina and leader of the Democratic Party (DS) Bojan Pajtic has met with Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and discussed with him the most important global issues at the moment - from the Ukrainian conflict to the economic interdependence of China and Europe - which directly concern Serbia, too.

"These issues will impact the capacity of the EU to accept new members, and the economic presence of China in Serbia and the region will impact our chances of emerging out of the crisis," Pajtic told Tanjug.

The DS president recalled that Serbia and China had raised their relations to the highest possible level in 2009 and had established a strategic partnership that was producing new forms of cooperation today.

Cooperation has developed particularly in energy and infrastructure, its most significant aspect being reflected in the construction of the Zemun-Borca bridge and road Corridor 10, said Pajtic.

He said that cultural cooperation between Serbia and China should be strengthened as well, pointing out that a Confucius Institute had been opened at the University of Novi Sad a few weeks before to help the efforts.

It was noted during the meeting that there was mutual interest to continue cooperation between Vojvodina and the region of Guangdong, especially in the field of agriculture.

Pajtic is in China as part of a delegation of the Party of European Socialists (PES), the DS being a PES member. The visit ends on September 5, and the PES delegation will meet with representatives of the state leadership and the Communist Party of China.

The delegation comprises PES president and former Bulgarian prime minister Sergei Stanishev,...