Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he hopes to hear more about China's experience at the Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) scheduled for later Tuesday. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier on Tuesday announced Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the virtual China-CEEC summit and deliver a keynote speech. 

"I'm very much interested in President Xi's speech, want to see his view on the global future and his view on our cooperation, all of us with China, and see what are Chinese plans," Vucic said in an interview with the China Media Group (CMG). 

Noting that China-CEEC cooperation has been facilitated by the Belt and Road Initiative, the Serbian President said he hopes to boost economic ties with China and join hands in fighting COVID-19.  

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," he described China-Serbia relations in the interview. 

"Your great support, your great assistance to this country ... We are very thankful and we don't hide it. I wait for the goods, doesn't matter whether it's ventilators or vaccines. And I would say many thanks to our Chinese friends. And that's how I think that we should." 

Serbia in January has received a million vaccine doses from China. Thanks to Chinese vaccines, Vucic said, his country is now a frontrunner in getting vaccines to people in Europe. 

He praised China for fulfilling its pledges to make vaccines global public goods once available, with greater affordability and accessibility in developing countries.