BUILDING CONNECTIVITY

In October 2025, the Serbian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway, a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project, fully opened to traffic, significantly improving regional connectivity.

Improved connectivity has led to more travel, said Aleksandar Mitic, a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics, a Serbian think tank. "I now see my children taking the train to visit their grandparents in Novi Sad in just 30 minutes," he said.

Across Serbia, highways and expressways built by Chinese companies have significantly shortened travel times, forming an integrated transport network that reduces isolation, eases congestion, and brings cities and communities closer together.

"My cousins from southwestern Serbia are traveling to Belgrade today to watch an important football match. Thanks to a highway built by Chinese companies, their journey has been reduced from five hours to just two and a half," said Mitic.

The benefits also extended to tourism, boosted by visa-free policies and direct flights. Marija Labovic, director of the National Tourism Organization of Serbia, said Chinese tourists recorded over 85,000 overnight stays in Serbia during the first quarter of 2026.

She added that destinations are increasingly tailoring food, tours and cultural experiences to Chinese visitors, helping drive sustainable local economic development beyond Belgrade.