The first container of Serbian goods was shipped to China on Friday as part of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, according to the Serbian government website. The container contains products from local companies such as Pionir, Akov, Fruskogorski Vinograd, Vinarija Aleksić, Nutrino, Nash Med, Zarić Rakija, Budimka, and Damar. The transportation was organized by the Milšped company from Krnoševac, near Stara Pazova.
The Minister of Economy Adriana Mesarović noted that this is the result of the hard work of Serbian entrepreneurs, government agencies and Chinese partners, as well as confirmation of the “steel friendship” between China and Serbia. She emphasized that Chinese retailers, importers and distributors have expressed their willingness to accept Serbian products in a market of 1.4 billion consumers.
Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming said that thanks to the Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on July 1, 2024, Serbia became China’s first partner in Central and Eastern Europe with such an agreement. He noted that since the agreement came into force, Serbia’s exports to China have increased by 53.7%, and more and more Serbian wines and dairy products are appearing on Chinese tables.
The free trade agreement covers 10,412 Serbian and 8,930 Chinese products. From the first day of application, 60% of the goods were exempted from duties, and over the next five to ten years, another 30% of products will be exempted from customs duties.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/633
In January-February, China reduced steel production by 1.5% year-on-year to 166.3 million tons, according to the country’s State Statistics Office.
Pig iron production decreased by 0.5% to 140.75 million tons.
The State Statistics Office traditionally publishes economic indicators for January and February together to avoid data distortion due to long holidays to mark the Lunar New Year, which can fall in both January and February.
In January-February, China exported 16.97 million tons of steel, up 6.7% year-on-year, according to the State Customs Administration.
As reported, in 2024, steel production in China decreased by 1.7% to 1.005 billion tons.
The volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the economy of mainland China in January-February decreased by 20.4% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 171.21 billion yuan ($23.87 billion), according to the Ministry of Commerce. The manufacturing industry accounted for 47.82 billion yuan, and the service sector for 120.49 billion yuan.
At the same time, the UK’s FDI in China grew by 87.9%, Germany’s by 54.7%, and South Korea’s by 45.2%, Xinhua cited the ministry’s data.
At the same time, 7,574 thousand new enterprises with foreign capital were registered in the country in two months, which is 5.8% more than their number in the same period in 2024.
As reported, the volume of FDI in 2024 fell by 27.1% to 826.25 billion yuan. This is the largest decline in the history of calculations (since 2008).
Experts club presents the 2024 ranking of all steel-producing countries in the world. The ranking is compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), which updates data for all steel-producing countries on a monthly basis. Below is the production data in million tons, with percentage of production in 2023 in parentheses.
Global steel production continued to perform strongly in 2024, despite fluctuations in demand and the impact of economic factors. China remained the undisputed market leader, producing 1,005.1 million tons of steel, accounting for more than half of the global total. India, which took second place, continues to increase production, reaching 149.6 million tons, while Japan rounds out the top three with 84 million tons, followed by the United States and Russia.
China’s exports in January-February 2025 reached a record $540 billion, up 2.3% year-on-year, Bloomberg reports. However, the country’s imports unexpectedly fell by 8.4%, leading to a significant trade surplus of $171 billion.
According to analysts, the growth in exports is partly due to accelerated deliveries as Chinese companies seek to circumvent possible new trade barriers from the United States. The U.S. administration is considering additional tariffs on Chinese goods, which could affect the competitiveness of Chinese products.
China remains the largest exporter in the world, supplying products to a wide range of industries. Among the key export products:
Electronics and technology – smartphones, computers, semiconductors.
Machinery – industrial machines, cars and components.
Consumer goods – clothing, footwear, household appliances.
Metals and chemicals – aluminum, steel, plastics.
Renewable energy – solar panels, lithium-ion batteries.
Services – IT development, digital platforms, logistics.
The drop in imports may indicate weak domestic demand, as well as China’s desire to develop self-sufficiency in strategic industries.
Ukraine and the People’s Republic of China have signed an agreement on the terms of export of Ukrainian aquatic products and peas to China, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reports.
“The Ministry of Agrarian Policy continues to work on opening new markets and scaling up existing ones. Today we have signed an important agreement with the People’s Republic of China,” Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval said on Telegram.
According to the report, the agreement will allow Ukrainian farmers to gain access to one of the world’s largest markets, expand their presence in China, and support producers, especially in the fisheries and grain sectors. Ukraine will be able to increase exports and foreign exchange earnings, diversify its markets and integrate into global trade chains.
These agreements are the result of a dialogue between our countries and a series of high-level meetings. It was also the result of active cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, associations, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine, Ma Shengkun. I am confident that we have laid a solid foundation for expanding cooperation, as the last time such a contract was signed with China was more than 5 years ago,” the Minister summarized.
