China-Serbia cooperation in green steelmaking has achieved two major breakthroughs, with researchers successfully trial-producing a high-end automotive steel panel and confirming that Serbian iron ore can meet green steel standards through hydrogen metallurgy, HBIS Group, one of China's largest State-owned steelmakers, said.

During a meeting with HBIS Group Chairman Liu Jian in Beijing on Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic praised the Chinese steelmaker for revitalizing the Smederevo steel plant and benefiting the Serbian people over the past decade.

Vucic said the company's investment had strengthened the "ironclad friendship" between China and Serbia.

The meeting, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming and Serbian ministers, came 10 years after the Hebei province-headquartered steelmaker acquired the struggling plant and transformed it into HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel.

The technological advances were achieved by a China-Serbia joint laboratory established by HBIS and the University of Belgrade. Approved by China's Ministry of Science and Technology in October 2024, it is the first national-level Belt and Road joint laboratory in China's steel sector.

In late April, researchers successfully trial-produced high-image-clarity dual-phase steel for outer automotive panels at a production line of HBIS in Hebei province. The breakthrough overcame a longstanding challenge in applying high-strength dual-phase steel to outer body panel forming, marking a step toward higher-end and lower-carbon steel production.

Separately, the laboratory verified that Serbian iron ore achieved a reduction degree of 99.74 percent through hydrogen metallurgy, meeting standards for green steel production, according to Hebei Daily.

Researchers said the result suggests that large quantities of Serbian iron ore could potentially be processed locally at the HBIS Serbia plant, supporting the production of green steel products compatible with the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Vladan Mihailovic, chief operating officer of HBIS Serbia, said the joint laboratory had become an important platform for optimizing production processes, improving steel quality and enhancing energy efficiency.

On environmental projects, Mihailovic said the company had made substantial progress in environmental monitoring and optimization, emission-reduction technologies and energy-efficiency improvements, with efforts focused on dust control, water treatment upgrades and reducing resource consumption.

"These results fully demonstrate the company's firm commitment to sustainable development," he said.

The laboratory is currently running eight joint research projects, including two at the national level. Since its establishment, it has organized 34 personnel exchanges and 53 person-times of training between the Chinese and Serbian sides, while providing 72 instances of research collaboration and technical guidance for Serbian partners.

Dusan Kostic, deputy head of the heating furnace and slab yard at the hot-rolling mill of HBIS Serbia, said training in China exposed him to a work culture that "never waits for tomorrow".

"I deeply realized that precision and efficiency are crucial to success. All innovations are planned in advance, with clear goals, step-by-step implementation, and strict attention to detail," Kostic said.

He said he plans to apply new organizational methods learned in China to improve operational efficiency, adding that the patience and dedication to quality shown by Chinese colleagues had left a deep impression on him.

Mihailovic said he hoped the joint laboratory would continue serving as both an engine for innovation and a bridge connecting different knowledge systems, cultures and working styles, helping HBIS Serbia remain a modern, responsible and competitive industrial enterprise.

During the meeting in Beijing, Vucic pledged the Serbian government's full support for HBIS Serbia's green energy projects, while Liu said the company would continue advancing technological upgrades and strive for more landmark achievements in green and high-end steelmaking.

zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn