The Minister of Economy, Adriana Mesarović, saw off the first container of Serbian products bound for China, which, according to her, will soon be on the shelves of Chinese stores and become part of everyday life for Chinese consumers.
The Minister emphasized that this is the result of the hard work of Serbian entrepreneurs, institutions, and Chinese partners, as well as another confirmation of the strong friendship between China and Serbia. “During my visits to China, I had the honor of meeting with representatives of dozens of retail chains, importers, and distributors. They all sent us a clear message – Serbian products are welcome in China. The willingness to cooperate is high, and interest in our products is significant,” said Mesarović at the “Stronger Connections: Serbian Products Arrive in China” event at Milšped.
The container, which is headed for the Fujian province and the city of Xiamen, contains products from companies such as Pionir, Akov, Fruškogorski Vinograd, Vinarija Aleksić, Nutrino, Naš Med, Zarić Rakija, Budimka, and Damar. The transport of Serbian products is organized by Milšped, a company based in Krnješevci (Stara Pazova). Mesarović emphasized that the Chinese market consists of over 1.4 billion consumers and reminded that the country has been focused on the recovery and development of the domestic economy over the past 12 years.
“None of this would have been possible without the vision and policy of President Aleksandar Vučić, who opened the doors to the Chinese market, and Prime Minister Miloš Vučević also played a major role in strengthening our friendship and cooperation. This is the reason why we are sending off this container today. This is just the first step, but not the last,” stated the Minister. Mesarović expressed her gratitude to Milšped for the logistical support and stated that the domestic economy continues to grow. “This batch of Serbian goods is just the beginning of a great success that lies ahead, enabled by the Free Trade Agreement with China, which has made Serbian products competitively priced,” she said.
Chinese Ambassador Li Ming expressed his satisfaction that Serbian products now have the opportunity to enter the Chinese market and noted that Serbia, through the Free Trade Agreement, has officially become China’s first free trade partner in Central and Eastern Europe. “Serbia’s exports to China have increased by 53.7%, and Serbian wines and dairy products are increasingly appearing on Chinese tables,” said the Chinese Ambassador.
The General Director of Budimka, Aleksandar Marković, pointed out that this is the first time in the company’s 75-year history that they are initiating exports aimed at the Chinese market. “Being present in China means that our products are recognized as high-quality, innovative, and competitive. Our participation at the Shanghai Fair last year played a crucial role in establishing important contacts with Chinese distributors and retail chains. I would like to thank our Chinese friends for the opportunity to have our products on the shelves of major supermarkets, as well as the Serbian Government and the Ministry of Economy for their efforts,” said Marković.
Milšped is a large logistics and transportation company operating in Serbia and across the Balkans. Founded in 1991, it specializes in providing services in the fields of transport, forwarding, warehousing, import and export, and distribution. The company offers all types of transportation, including road, rail, air, and sea.
The Free Trade Agreement with China came into effect on July 1, 2024, and covers 10,412 Serbian products and 8,930 Chinese products. On the first day of implementation, 60% of products were exempt from customs duties, and in the next five to ten years, an additional 30% of goods will be duty-free, according to Tanjug.
