The Chinese and Serbian prime ministers have opened a new multimillion-euro bridge over the Danube in Belgrade, described as the first major Chinese-built infrastructure project in Europe.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said at the December 18 ceremony that the construction of the 136.5 million-euro ($167 million), 1.5-kilometer bridge "represents a big success."
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said it was an "honor" to inaugurate the bridge, which is part of a motorway around the Serbian capital.
China signed a 1.5-billion-euro deal December 17 to finance a high-speed bullet train between Budapest and Belgrade, a key link in Beijing's expanding network for getting its goods to European markets.
China says trade with eastern Europe could exceed $60 billion (50 billion euros) in 2014, up from $4.9 billion last year.
China has invested billions of euros in Hungary and Serbia.
Based on reporting by AFP and b92.net
