North Macedonia envoy sees more opportunities in China's opening-up

China's continued development and opening-up are creating broader opportunities for cooperation with North Macedonia and other countries, Sashko Nasev, North Macedonia's ambassador to China, said.

In a recent interview with China Daily, Nasev said China's rise to become the world's second-largest economy reflects a broader transformation that has reshaped not only the country itself but also the way other countries engage with it.

"It is almost a miracle how China has developed over the last several decades," he said.

Reflecting on China's governance experience, Nasev said he has recently seen many leaders from European countries visit China, adding that major countries should choose cooperation over confrontation.

"It is much better to cooperate," he said.

Nasev said China's opening of its society, economy and culture shows that the country is not defined only by its ancient history, but also by its role in shaping the future.

"China is not only an ancient civilization," he said. "It is a huge hub to understand the future."

He cited electric vehicles as one example of China's growing presence in emerging industries, while also pointing to what he described as China's broader effort to open itself to the world.

As China advances its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Nasev said he is paying close attention to the country's development in areas such as green energy, digitalization and artificial intelligence, which he sees as important fields for future cooperation.

For North Macedonia, that cooperation is also being supported by easier travel. Nasev said China's visa-free policy has made it easier for people from his country to visit China, experience its culture and explore business opportunities, allowing them to discover not only its nature and food, but also "new opportunities and businesses".

He noted that North Macedonia and China have the potential to deepen cooperation in areas such as smart agriculture, tourism, science, sports, universities and youth exchanges.

Stronger exchanges among young people, scholars and academics, he said, can help bring the two countries closer and expand communication across political, economic and cultural fields.