Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (L, center) attends the ground-breaking ceremony of a Chinese-built road (Danube Corridor) in Pozarevac, Serbia, Nov. 5, 2021. The Chinese-built road connecting Pozarevac with Veliko Gradiste and Golubac (Danube Corridor) in Serbia will interconnect this region and attract tourists and investors alike to eastern Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic said at the ground-breaking ceremony here on Friday. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

POZAREVAC, Serbia, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The new Chinese-built road connecting Pozarevac with Veliko Gradiste and Golubac (Danube Corridor) in Serbia will interconnect this region and attract tourists and investors alike to eastern Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic said at the ground-breaking ceremony here on Friday.

The event marking the launch of the construction of a 68-kilometer-long road connecting the E-75 highway with the eastern part of the country was attended by Vucic, Serbia's Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Tomislav Momirovic, and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo.

Thanking the Chinese partners, Vucic said that "In an open and transparent procedure, the China Shandong Hi-Speed Financial Group offered the most favorable price for the construction of this road, and we can see from their previous work on some sections that they work with the highest quality ... this is your reference for the future and for numerous new projects for which I am sure you will be realizing in this country."

The new road will cost 337 million euros (389.6 million U.S. dollars).

Vucic noted that this road is just the first stretch in a network of roads that will extend across eastern Serbia and connect the region with major cities, such as Belgrade and Novi Sad.

"By doing this, we will manage to secure the presence of major investors here in the Branicevo district," he said, adding that the road will also attract tourists to the local sights, such as the medieval fortresses along the Danube river.

Ambassador Chen recalled that the agreement was signed two months ago, and the work on the road is already starting.

"The construction of this fast road is yet another result of our cooperation in the area of infrastructure ...I am convinced that this will make eastern Serbia even more beautiful and help secure more investments and tourists," she said. Enditem