Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic in Budapest on Tuesday and urged relevant parties to speed up the construction of China-Europe land-sea express, taking the opportunity of the start of construction of the Serbian part of the Hungary-Serbia railway.

Workers at the construction site of the Serbian part of the Hungary-Serbia railway. [Photo: ChinaPlus]

Li said the start of railway construction from Belgrade to Stara Pazova in Serbia is a "major progress" in building the Hungary-Serbia railway.

The premier said he hopes the design work for the part of railway from Novi Sad to Subotica in Serbia to be accelerated at the meantime, so as to accomplish the flagship project of 16+1 cooperation at an early date and inject impetus into the building of China-Europe land-sea express and regional connectivity.

The Hungary-Serbia railway will connect Budapest with Belgrade, with a total length of 350 kilometers, reducing traveling time between the two capitals from eight hours to three hours.

Initiated in December, 2015, the railway project will be built by Chinese companies led by China Railway Corporation.

The Serbian part of the Hungary-Serbia railway consisted of three parts, namely from Belgrade to Stara Pazova, from Stara Pazova to Novi Sad, and from Novi Sad to Subotica, with a total length of 184 kilometers.

Li arrived in Budapest on Sunday for an official visit to Hungary and for the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries.

Hungary announced the open tendering for the Hungarian part of the Hungary-Serbia railway during the meeting.