What happened
The opening ceremony for Serbia's Danube Corridor expressway took place on the morning of August 30, with President Aleksandar Vucic, senior officials, and China's embassy chargé d'affaires Zhang Zhe in attendance.
Vucic rode the new road and praised its role in advancing Serbia's national interests, promoting domestic tourism, and driving economic growth in the eastern part of the country. He announced the expressway would officially open to traffic on August 31.
Zhang Zhe said the corridor would attract more tourists to Serbia's scenic east, adding that roads link not just cities but also people's friendship and future opportunities.
The project, built by China's Shandong Hi-Speed Group over five years, is a 68-kilometer, four-lane dual carriageway with a design speed of 100 km/h. It is an important branch line of the European E75 highway and a benchmark of China-Serbia cooperation. Vucic visited the site seven times and called it the 'road to the future.'
Why it matters
The expressway underscores growing China-Serbia infrastructure cooperation, with the project seen as a flagship of bilateral ties.
Better transport links are expected to spur economic activity in Serbia's underdeveloped eastern region and open new opportunities for tourism, as officials highlighted.
Vucic's repeated personal oversight signals the strategic importance he places on the project for national development.
Key facts
The Danube Corridor expressway is 68 km long, with four lanes and a 100 km/h design speed.
Construction took five years, during which President Vucic visited the site seven times.
The expressway was built by Shandong Hi-Speed Group and is a branch of the European E75 highway.
The road will be officially opened to traffic on August 31.
What to watch next
Whether the expressway leads to a measurable rise in tourist arrivals in eastern Serbia, as Chinese envoy Zhang Zhe predicted.
Further infrastructure projects under China-Serbia cooperation, given this project's 'benchmark' status.
How the new road affects regional economic activity and connectivity in the coming months.