Serbia snubs Berlin Process Summit to sign trade deal with China

[beijingwalker]

Serbia snubs Berlin Process Summit to sign trade deal with China​

By Jelena Nikolić | EURACTIV.rs
Oct. 17 2023

Serbia will sign a free trade agreement with China on Tuesday – covering 10,412 Serbian tariff lines or products and 8,930 on the Chinese side, as President Aleksander Vučić snubbed the Berlin Process Summit meeting in Tirana to head east.

An exchange of notes with the Chinese side is required within 90 days, with the agreement being expected to come into force by May or June, eliminating all tariffs. This would mean no more high tariffs on Serbian apples, plums, peaches, and soybean oil, among Serbia’s best-selling products.

“We must pursue so-called preferential arrangements for our products in agriculture and industry, conquering new large markets to avoid an excess of raspberries and apples, wines, and brandies,” said Vučić, adding that the procedure for the agreement will be completed in Serbia by the end of March.

He added that there will be no tariffs on frozen raspberries, which have seen a 350% increase in sales compared to the previous year, and on beer, water, carbonated water, and almost all pharmaceutical and industrial products.

“Wine will be completely duty-free within five years, as the tariff will gradually decrease by 20% over the next five years, while today, they have to be included and constitute 30% of the total price. It will be 0% after five years, and our winemakers will have a much better price on that market,” says Vučić. Additionally, tariffs on brandy will be abolished over ten years, decreasing by 10% each year.

According to Vučić, this free trade agreement demonstrates the efforts made to improve the position of agricultural producers and industrial sectors. He informed journalists that this crucial agreement was in the works for six months, involving negotiations by six working groups.

Meetings between both nations will begin on Tuesday morning. In addition to a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping, a multi-hour meeting with Van Hu Ning, the head of the National Council, the most important political body advising the Chinese leadership, is scheduled.

Vučić was not present at the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana, which brought together regional and EU leaders to sign agreements on regional cooperation trade, and to move forward with EU integration. Instead, he sent Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who, according to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, refused his offer to sign the two EU-facilitated agreements from 2023- the basic implementation agreement and the Ohrid agreement.

The absence of Vucic fuelled rumours amongst EU diplomats that he did not want to face difficult questions on the 24 September terrorist attack in north Kosovo, possible measures from the EU, and calls to reduce ties with Russia and China.

Serbia snubs Berlin Process Summit to sign trade deal with China

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[Viet]

The EU would bring Serbia 10x more benefits than China. But the Serbs are driven by nationalism and hatred.
Well, good luck Serbia selling fruits to China
As if the ASEAN don’t produce the fruits.

 

[_killuminati_]

The EU would bring Serbia 10x more benefits than China. But the Serbs are driven by nationalism and hatred.
Well, good luck Serbia selling fruits to China
As if the ASEAN don’t produce the fruits.

EU also brings corruption at the behest of its liege across the Atlantic.

 

[etylo]

The EU would bring Serbia 10x more benefits than China. But the Serbs are driven by nationalism and hatred.
Well, good luck Serbia selling fruits to China
As if the ASEAN don’t produce the fruits.

You don't produce apples, plums, peaches, raspberries, wines , brandies and and soybean oil in ASEAN.

 

[Viet]

EU also brings corruption at the behest of its liege across the Atlantic.

Nonsense
The EU is the least corrupt on earth. You can check the corruption index. While Serbia belongs to the most corrupt.

 

[beijingwalker]

The EU would bring Serbia 10x more benefits than China. But the Serbs are driven by nationalism and hatred.
Well, good luck Serbia selling fruits to China
As if the ASEAN don’t produce the fruits.

EU is declining fast to a second or a third class power, even it's dominant auto industry now is in deep trouble. Serbia has an eye for the future.

 

[_killuminati_]

Nonsense
The EU is the least corrupt on earth. You can check the corruption index. While Serbia belongs to the most corrupt.

You missed the point.

EU brings puppeteering strings, sanctions, and control tactics, all of which Serbia already suffered in the past at the hands of these very same Europeans. China doesn't bring this.

 

[Viet]

You don't produce apples, plums, peaches, raspberries, wines , brandies and and soybean oil in ASEAN.

Growing apple is not a big deal. We in Vietnam have regions with cool climate. Gives us 3 or 5y then we will sell apples to China. Same for other fruits.

 

[etylo]

Growing apple is not a big deal. We in Vietnam have regions with cool climate. Gives us 3 or 5y then we will sell apples to China. Same for other fruits.

No, you can't grow those fruits in tropics.

 

[Viet]

EU is declining fast to a second or a third class power, even its dominant auto industry now is in deep trouble. Serbia has an eye for the future.

Europe is like a beautiful but aging women that has reached the peak. While China is a young girl all men are running after. Difficult choice.

No, Serbia makes a terrible mistake. That will end very ugly like Cuba, Venezuela, Sri-Lanka, Russia and 100 more other countries. They want to be like communist paradise China. They don’t realize the Chinese girl will loot them until underwear.

 

[etylo]

Europe is like a beautiful but aging women that has reached the peak. While China is a young girl all men are running after. Difficult choice.

No, Serbia makes a terrible mistake. That will end very ugly like Cuba, Venezuela, Sri-Lanka, Russia and 100 more other countries. They want to be like communist paradise China. They don’t realize the Chinese girl will loot them until underwear.

You don't know what you are talking about.

 

[REhorror]

Germany economy will contract this year.
The EU is over.

 

[Viet]

No, you can't grow those fruits in tropics.

not all regions are tropic. we can grown apples in here da lat. cool climate simialar to europe.
you can order apples now we will deliver in 3y.

 

[etylo]

not all regions are tropic. we can grown apples in here da lat. cool climate simialar to europe.
you can order apples now we will deliver in 3y.

View attachment 963165
View attachment 963166
View attachment 963167

But, you haven't grow any apples in Vietnam, you buy from cooler countries.

 

[AViet]

The EU would bring Serbia 10x more benefits than China. But the Serbs are driven by nationalism and hatred.
Well, good luck Serbia selling fruits to China
As if the ASEAN don’t produce the fruits.

Unless EU has very special policy towards Serbia, which I doubt. How can EU bring more benefit to Serbia than China, if:

- EU combined economy is smaller than that of China, nominal GDP into account. If comparing other economic data, like manufacturing volume, consumption volume etc. then China economy might easily be as large as 2-3 times of EU's.
- EU is not technologically advanced as China. This is simple, but hard to swallow fact. EU in 2023 is backward, even compared to Korea, let alone China.
- EU education is worse (in general) than China. Do not cite some niche areas.
- China is a much bigger market than EU, in almost every areas. Serbia can sell to China what they has but China doesn't, like some European agriculture products, but what Serbia has but EU doesn't?.