China as an Important Partner of Macedonia

I have been in China for 18 years. Every moment China is changing.

When I decided to move from my country Macedonia to China for my university education in 1995， the unanimous reaction from family and friends was an incredulous look accompanied with expressions like: “Why on Earth China? What got into you”? At that time everyone was looking toward the West especially the US and Western Europe as places where careers were made and dreams could come true. Asia and especially China were an afterthought. China was this mythical place on the map， which no one knew anything about， apart from possibly images of bicycles， kung fu and the Great Wall. Such a contrast to today， where the same people are congratulating me on my foresight in coming to China “early” to learn the language and understand the culture.

Arriving in Beijing was both exhilarating and frightening. Wide streets with buildings and signs in Chinese seemed daunting. At that time no one spoke a word of English on the streets of Beijing， often leading to comical situations. I had to use hands， weird facial expressions and repeated the words in English as a way of communicating but it was a fun way of discovering Beijing.

Beijing was changing so rapidly. It actually still is. In July every year we would leave for summer holidays to Macedonia， and when we came back in late August we would be amazed at the change in the city in such a short time.

Those summer holidays were also a way for us to stack up on goodies not found in Beijing， so our suitcases were bursting with different spices， cheeses， cold cuts， chocolates and other delicacies. Today the shops and mega stores seem to hold all the world’s treasures and at times I find myself in a reverse situation， buying international brands I cannot find at home and taking them back to my country.

Furthermore， 10 years ago it was not possible to find decent pizza or a western restaurant in Beijing， but today every cuisine is represented in this city and it is becoming a gourmet’s paradise.

The rapid development is maybe most evident in the expansion of the infrastructure. In the mid 90s the 3rd ring road marked the borders of the city; today we have the 6th ring road. There were only 2 subway lines， so going from Hadian to Sanlitun meant taking a bus and subway， and now there are over 10 subway lines， making it possible to use the subway to get to any part of the sprawling city.

Still， though these developments were notable， they could not be compared to the giant leap which Beijing and the whole country of China made with the organization of the 2008 Olympic Games， intended as a showcase to the world of China’s and Beijing’s newfound confidence and progress， as well as its rich heritage and culture.

The spirit of the Olympics still prevails today in this City which is fast becoming one of the leading economic， political and cultural centers in the world， but also still retaining its unique charm and appeal amid the rapid tempo of change which is still a work in progress.

Apart from within China itself， these days Chinese development can be felt throughout the globe. Many Chinese businesses and organizations are looking to expand in different regions all over the world. It would seem that Europe is one the most attractive places for Chinese businesses. Furthermore， the Chinese people are looking for undiscovered travel destinations for them.

Today with all the experience that I have gained by living in China and with the knowledge of the Chinese language and its history， I am working for the Government of Macedonia aiming to increase the investments and business between China and Macedonia， as well as to increase the number of Chinese citizens that visit Macedonia.

The Chinese companies can get a foothold on the European market by investing and establishing themselves in Macedonia. Many of them have realized the potential of Macedonia already， particularly the facts that Macedonia is a safe and friendly place to invest and our government is committed to give all its support to make Macedonia a great destination for Chinese investment.

These 18 years I have spent in China have been the most exciting years of my life but I feel that the coming 10 years are going to see a bigger change in China. I look forward to continuing my journey with China and its people together into the future. And it is indeed a pleasure for me to be able to use my knowledge and experience of China to help further improve and develop the SinoMacedonian relationship.