Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski announced that two Chinese companies have expressed serious interest, to open a major meat packaging plant and a cement factory in Macedonia, and interest was also expressed in energy projects such as the construction of a primary gas network in Macedonia. Gruevski is in Belgrade for the annual Summit between China and Central and Eastern European countries, where he met with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

"At the meeting we re-affirmed interest in projects we discussed last year, in which a major Chinese company made three visits to Macedonia to examine possibilities for opening a large meat packaging plant. They are working on their due diligence, and there is a positive impression, but the final decision remains to be seen. And, both last year, and particularly at this year's Summit, a Chinese company expressed interest in opening a cement factory. Chinese Prime Minister Keqiang asked that talks about this project are expedited", Gruevski said, after his meeting with Keqiang. MIA correspondent in Belgrade reports the Prime Minister as saying that, at his meeting with Prime Minister Keqiang, he expressed his gratitude for the support China gave to push forward the construction of the Kicevo - Ohrid and Skopje - Stip highways.

Other issues that Gruevski and Keqiang discussed include energy, tourism and industrial developments in the free economic zones in Macedonia. "We also discussed about the proposed high speed train link. We agreed that Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Mile Janakieski begin talks with the Chinese side, in particular about the financial package, the way the project would be financed and built. In principle, we are very much interested, but we would like to see the details and the terms of the financial package", Gruevski added. Earlier on Wednesday he had a joint meeting with Keqiang and the Prime Ministers of Serbia and Hungary, Aleksandar Vucic and Victor Orban, to discuss a Chinese proposal for a high speed train network from Greece to central Europe.

Another issue where Macedonia is looking for Chinese partners is the project to build a gas network to all bigger Macedonian cities. Macedonia is already in talks with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about the project that should switch heating throughout Macedonia from wood and electricity toward natural gas, but China is also interested to take part in this development.

"We are speaking with Chinese, but also other financial institutions about the finalisation of the financial package to build a primary gas network through Macedonia. I hope that we will soon make a deal, either with the Export - Import bank of China, or the EBRD, or some other institution", Gruevski said.