National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Marina Ragus, met today with Prof. Dr Bojan Lalic, Director of the Belt and Road Institute from Belgrade.
Ragus and Lalic discussed the cooperation between the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Belt and Road Institute and its institutionalisation through the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation, which would enable the exchange of experiences and discussion of topics of importance for the overall cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the People's Republic of China.
Deputy Speaker Ragus informed the guest about the Foreign Affairs Committee’s scope of work and the activities of the PFG with China, through which the MPs were introduced to the most important Chinese investments in Serbia.
The host and guest agreed that the visit of the President of the Republic of Serbia to the People's Republic of China is of exceptional importance for the further development of bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as direct cooperation in areas in which Serbia has a competitive edge. It also represents an opportunity for Serbia to use the knowledge about China's incredible growth, especially now when the Chinese side sees our country as an increasingly safe destination in Europe, Ragus and Lalic concluded.
The Director of the Belt and Road Institute, Prof. Dr Bojan Lalic, briefed Deputy Speaker Ragus on the activities of the organisation he heads and announced a "Think-Tank" conference in June this year, which will focus on the development of cultural dialogue with Chinese partners. He emphasised that the Institute is actively working on establishing a new model of cooperation in the field of higher education with the People's Republic of China, as a form of educational diplomacy and internationalisation of education, which includes the implementation of Serbian educational programmes at universities in China. Lalic also presented other activities the Institute is engaged in, from activities aimed at supporting the economy to activities aimed at connecting Serbia and China in the areas of economy, infrastructure, education, culture, science and international cooperation, and invited Deputy Speaker Ragus to visit the Institute and take part in the upcoming conference.
