In the morning of December 17 local time, Premier Li Keqiang, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of Macedonia jointly met the press in Belgrade after their group meeting.
Li Keqiang said that China, Hungary and Serbia signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperatively Constructing the Hungary-Serbia Railway just now. Besides, China, Hungary, Serbia and Macedonia signed the agreement on customs clearance facilitation. Greece also expressed its willingness to sign this agreement with China as soon as possible.
Li Keqiang stressed that the construction of the Hungary-Serbia Railway is above all the need of Hungary and Serbia. In last year's meeting in Bucharest, all relevant parties reached the consensus of constructing a land-sea express passage between China and Europe on the basis of the Hungary-Serbia Railway and signed relevant cooperation agreements. This confirms to the common interests of all countries along the passage, and will effectively elevate the level of regional transportation and logistics and speed up the exchanges of personnel, products, enterprises, capital and technologies. It will be beneficial to promoting the economic development and people's well-being of countries along the passage and drive the regional economy. It will be helpful in deepening the mutually beneficial and reciprocal cooperation between China and countries along the passage. And it is also important and favorable news for the overall balanced development of Europe as well as acceleration of the European integration progress. We believe it will win the understanding and support of the European Union (EU).
Li Keqiang said that under the joint efforts of all parties, the land-sea express passage between China and Europe is bound to be completed at an early date, which will link the Mediterranean and the Danube more closely and quickly, better link China and the Central and Eastern Europe as well as China and Europe, bringing more benefits to both China and Europe.
Vučić, Orbán and Gruevski said that today is a good day for countries and peoples in this region. The project of the land-sea express passage between Europe and China is an important constituent of Europe-China cooperation. It is beneficial to enhancing the level of infrastructure construction and connectivity in this region, and is in line with the development need of countries in this region and the overall interests of the EU and Europe at large. All relevant countries will make joint efforts with China to strive for substantive achievements of the project and realization of mutual benefits and win-win results at an early date.