(ANSA) - BELGRADE - The construction of a new China-funded high-speed railway line between Belgrade and Budapest will begin by the end of the year. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang confirmed the news on the sidelines of the 5th summit between China and 16 eastern and central European countries, which opened today in Suzhou (China).

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic participated in the summit, during which he met - in addition to Premier Li Keqiang - with China's President Xi Jinping. The new railway line, Li said, will cut the Belgrade-Budapest journey time, and will be completed within two years. Vucic has scheduled the signing of several deals with China in the energy, transport, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism sectors. Last year the Central Europe-China summit, which is held alternately in China and in a European capital, took place in Belgrade. (ANSA).