Chinese interested in privatizations of large Serbian firms

China is interested participating in privatizations of a great number of state-owned companies in Serbia, says Ambassador Li Manchang.

This is especially true when it comes to large companies like the copper mining and smelting complex RTB Bor, and the agricultural complex PKB, Li told Tanjug.

Asked if China was interested in about 120 state-owned Serbian companies from the privatization portfolio of the Ministry of Economy, he said there was interest in half of those companies.

"We are now talking about some of the largest, such as RTB Bor and PKB. One of our biggest and leading companies came here three times, which shows not only that there is interest, but a strong desire," the ambassador said.

When it comes to PKB, Li said that a Chinese company is "studying" that enterprise, and that it will soon send a special team to Belgrade.

The diplomat added that he personally took part in arranging the forthcoming visit to PKB.

The Ministry of Energy announced earlier that a tender to select a strategic partner for RTB Bor would be announced in May or June at the latest, and that the company could get such a partner in 2018.

Minister Aleksandar Antic also pointed out that large Chinese, Russian and Canadian companies were interested in RTB Bor, and have been monitoring its operations for months. He explained that a strategic partner would have to provide between USD 300 and 330 million in investments.

As for PKB, there is still no final decision on the privatization strategy for this company, including whether the state will retain control over it.