Walking through a newly built friendship park in Jinan City, east China's Shandong Province, visitors will feel as if they stepped right into Novi Sad – Serbia's second-largest city – thanks to thoughtfully designed cultural elements across the site.

On Tuesday, Novi Sad's Mayor Zarko Micin attended the opening ceremony of the park. What impressed him most was that the project was completed in just one month.

"How did you do it that fast? I was astonished with that really," Micin said in an interview with CGTN on the sidelines of the 7th China-CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and the 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week.

For him, the park is more than a landscaped public space. It reflects how local cooperation between Chinese and Serbian cities is bringing the two peoples closer together.

A growing sister-city vision

The story between Jinan and Novi Sad began in 2024, when the two sides signed their first cooperation document. Micin said he hopes the two cities will formally become sister cities this year, further strengthening exchanges between local governments and ordinary people.

He said such cooperation would help deepen direct ties between the two cities while encouraging greater people-to-people exchanges.

Micin also pointed to growing tourism exchanges between the two countries.

"Every day in front of my city hall, I see a lot of tourists from China," he said.

He added that both Serbian and Chinese people share a strong tradition of hospitality, something he believes naturally helps deepen mutual understanding.

Chinese projects reshaping Novi Sad

Beyond cultural exchange, the mayor pointed to infrastructure cooperation as one of the clearest examples of how China-Serbia relations are delivering tangible results at the local level.

"They have changed the city," he said, referring to Chinese-built infrastructure projects in Novi Sad.

Among the projects he highlighted was the Belgrade-Novi Sad high-speed railway, built by Chinese companies, which he described as "a historical achievement." The railway has reduced travel time between the two cities to around 35 minutes.

Chinese companies are also involved in bridges, tunnels and transport corridors across Novi Sad, including a future pedestrian and bicycle bridge being built by Shandong Hi-Speed Group.

According to Micin, such projects will continue to shape the city's future. Looking ahead to Expo 2027 in Belgrade, he noted that more than 130 countries are expected to participate, including China and the United States, while improved transport links will make travel between Novi Sad and the expo site significantly easier.

"That's what we got from China, from cooperation with China," he said.

Micin also said Chinese companies have brought not only investment, but also advanced technologies and industrial experience to Serbia. He recalled that the first factory he inaugurated as mayor was opened by a Shanghai-based Chinese company and featured highly automated production systems.

Beyond infrastructure and technology, he said cooperation with Chinese companies also allows local residents to better understand China's development experience.

"The local people can see how hard work and unity can make wonders," he said.

In his view, China's transformation from a poor country into one of the world's leading economies was driven by unity, hard work and strong leadership.

A 'brother connection'

Micin also spoke enthusiastically about Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's state visit to China, especially the moment when the Serbian president was awarded the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China. 

"That's really something that is very important for us," he said. "It shows that not just the leaders are close and very good friends, but the Serbian and the Chinese people have very good connection. It's more than friendships. It's brother connection."

The mayor noted that since 2012, cooperation between Serbia and China has expanded rapidly alongside closer ties between the two countries' leaders.

He pointed to figures showing Serbia's exports to China have increased 330-fold since 2012. He also noted that Serbia once had no Chinese factories, while there are now 37 Chinese-invested factories across the country, including two in Novi Sad.

According to Micin, Novi Sad has become the Serbian city attracting the largest amount of Chinese investment.

Looking ahead, he said he hopes President Vucic's visit will lead to more agreements that can benefit ordinary people.

"I would like very much in the future to see more tourists, to see more Chinese investment," he said. "And if it's even possible that we have more and better relations than at this moment, because these are historically good relations between Serbia and China."