Djedovic Handanovic meets with Chinese vice minister of natural resources

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic met with Chinese Vice Minister of Natural Resources Zhuang Shaoqin on Thursday to discuss cooperation and projects in mining, renewable energy sources and ties between educational and scientific institutions of the two countries.

"We are very grateful to the People's Republic of China for its comprehensive political and economic cooperation, as well as for its strategic cooperation in the mining sector, which is producing excellent results. In the period between coming to Serbia and the end of November this year, Zijin Mining Group retained jobs and increased its workforce to over 7,000, which is of great importance to all of eastern Serbia," Djedovic Handanovic said.

"We want to develop sustainable mining by applying innovative, leading-edge technological solutions and that is why we need the best international practices and experiences," she said.

In a statement, the Ministry of Mining and Energy said Djedovic Handanovic had noted that MoUs on new investments had been signed with the Zijin Mining Group in China a few months ago.

"Thanks to a new investment cycle worth as much as 3.8 bln dollars, Serbia will become one of Europe's biggest copper producers and a leading gold producer. Also, Zijin Mining Group will build a 300 MW solar power plant for its own needs, which will ensure a synergy between mining and renewable energy sources, as well as better environmental protection," the minister said.

She said China's Shanghai Fengling Renewables was interested in investing in production and storage of renewable energy in Serbia - in particular, in green hydrogen, the future of the global energy sector.

She said the project would make Serbia a major European hydrogen producer and exporter in the future.

Zhuang said China and Serbia were developing a deep and substantial friendship and that developing the mining sector while respecting environmental protection standards and community interests was very important to China.

"We are trying to develop the mining sector by using modern technologies and equipment. The cooperation between our two countries should not be limited only to cooperation in mining but also include the renewables sector and exchange of scientists and researchers, cooperation between universities. Recently, we have been working actively on building green mines, including Cukaru Peki in Serbia, as well as green cities," Zhuang said.