TADIC & WU LAY FOUNDATION STONE FOR ZEMUN-BORCA BRIDGE
ZEMUN, July 14 (Tanjug) - President Tadic and China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo laid the foundation stone for the Serbian-Chinese Friendship Bridge, which will connect Belgrade's municipalities Zemun and Borca and should be finished in 2014. During the occasion, Tadic said that the construction of the Serbian-Chinese Friendship Bridge represents a new model of infrastructure development in Serbia and is another evidence of closeness between the two peoples and their cultures. Tadic said that the construction of the bridge is very important for Belgrade and Serbia, because Belgrade will thus spread to the other side of the Danube, where new houses and offices will be built. Wu said that Serbian-Chinese relations are on the rise and that good political relations should contribute to lasting economic cooperation. The foundation stone laying ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Cvetkovic and most of his cabinet's ministers, Parliament Speaker Dejanovic, Belgrade Mayor Djilas and other officials. The Zemun-Borca bridge is the first infrastructure project within the framework of the agreement between the Serbian and Chinese governments. The construction contract worth EUR 170 mil was signed in Beijing in Aug 2009, by Minister for National Investment Plan Kalanovic, Belgrade Mayor and the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation. The construction works will start in mid-April 2011, and the completion deadline is three years. The friendship bridge will be 1,507 m long and will be part of the ring road around Belgrade.

DEJANOVIC & WU: WE HAVE EXCELLENT POLITICAL & ECONOMIC COOPERATION
BELGRADE, July 14 (Tanjug) - Parliament speaker Djukic Dejanovic and China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo agreed that the two countries have a longstanding friendship and excellent and continually deepening political and economic cooperation. At a joint news conference after the meeting at the Serbian parliament, Djukic Dejanovic pointed out that China understands Serbia's main foreign policy goals and represents one of the four pillars of Serbia's foreign policy. "We strongly support the One China policy and at the same time owe a debt of gratitude to China for its principled stance of honoring international law in regards to Serbia's sovereignty and integrity," she said and added that China supports Serbia's EU integration efforts. China would like to thank Serbia for its unwavering support regarding China's major interests - the One China policy and the issues of Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang, Bangguo said. He said it is important for the two countries to further economic cooperation and trade, as well as parliamentary cooperation. Earlier in the day, Serbian and Chinese government officials signed several bilateral agreements, including deals in finance, healthcare and culture. Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic and China Eximbank President Li Ruogu signed agreements on a concessionary loan and a preferential consumer loan for the construction of the Zemun - Borca bridge and accompanying facilities. State Secretary with the Finance Ministry Slobodan Ilic and Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng exchanged notes on China's non-repayable aid to Serbia. State Secretary with the Finance Ministry Miodrag Djidic and the Chinese vice minister signed a framework agreement on the concessionary loan guarantee. Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Wei Jinghua signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the areas of healthcare and medicine. Culture Minister Nebojsa Bradic and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya signed an agreement on the establishment of a Serbian cultural center in China and vice-versa.