ZAKIĆ: REGIONAL COOPERATION KEY TO GREEN TRANSITION AND AI DEVELOPMENT

XIONGAN, OCTOBER 25 /SRNA/ - Western Balkan countries can make joint progress in green energy, sustainable development and the application of artificial intelligence, and China's experience can serve as an example of how to bring about significant changes in society, Katarina Zakić, a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade, told SRNA at the Global Governance Forum.

Zakić, who also heads the Center for Chinese Studies, said ahead of the panel titled “Accelerating the Implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Advancing Global Sustainable Development” that Balkan countries had not fully harnessed the potential of green energy and sustainable development and that greater attention should be paid to environmental protection, recycling, and raising environmental awareness.

“I have not given up on our dear Balkan peoples, and I believe that we are an integral part of both the world and Europe. I think we can achieve this together, which is why regional cooperation in these areas is important,” Zakić said.

She said that China had made significant changes over the past 15 years, including improvements in air quality, and said that the country's experience could be useful to the countries of the region.

Zakić noted that artificial intelligence and modern technologies could contribute to the development of smart cities and improve public safety, but stressed that appropriate legal frameworks must be established to prevent potential risks.

Speaking about economic relations between Serbia and China, she said they were at their strongest level to date and covered not only trade and investment but also energy, with opportunities to expand cooperation in high technology and artificial intelligence.

Zakić reminded that the free trade agreement between Serbia and China was signed in 2024, stressing that one of Serbia's key tasks is to increase exports and expand the presence of domestic products on the Chinese market.

Stefan Jovanović of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development in Belgrade told SRNA that Serbia could serve as a bridge between China and Europe and that Chinese technologies could contribute to the development of Serbian cities and accelerate the green transition.

He said it was important for countries in the region to keep pace with developments in artificial intelligence and establish appropriate regulatory frameworks, stressing that Serbia, thanks to its technological potential and cooperation with China, could drive regional progress.

Jovanović also highlighted air pollution in Western Balkan countries, noting that the green transition was essential to improving residents’ quality of life.

Forum participants discussed global governance, the green transition, sustainable development and the application of artificial intelligence, as well as the need to reform international institutions and strengthen multilateral cooperation.

The forum in Xiongan brings together representatives of international institutions and the political and academic communities to discuss reforming global governance, strengthening multilateral cooperation and building a fairer and more stable international order. A journalist from the Media System of Republika Srpska /SRNA/ is also covering the event.