Xi Jinping calls for upholding ironclad friendship to build China-Serbia community with shared future

China is willing to work with Serbia to uphold the ironclad friendship, safeguard the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries and pursue respective national development and rejuvenation, aiming to promote the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, where they agreed to deepen and elevate the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership and build a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era.

Expressing thanks to Vucic and the Serbian government for their hospitality and thoughtful arrangements, Xi said the ironclad friendship between China and Serbia has withstood the test of international vicissitudes and features a profound historical heritage, a solid political foundation and extensive common interests.

Stressing that Serbia is China's first comprehensive strategic partner in Central and Eastern Europe, Xi said cooperation between the two sides has injected strong impetus into their respective development and revitalization and brought tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Under the new circumstances, Serbia has become the first European country to build a community with a shared future with China, which fully demonstrates the strategic, special and high-level nature of the bilateral relationship, Xi said.

He called on both sides to continue to deepen and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries.

Xi said the free trade agreement between the two countries will take effect on July 1, marking that the high-level mutual opening up between China and Serbia will enter a new stage.

China is ready to import more quality and distinctive agricultural products from Serbia and will invite a total of 300 Serbian youths to study in China in the next three years, he said.

The Chinese president called on China and Serbia to carry forward the innovative nature of bilateral relations, open up new prospects for cooperation and make innovative cooperation a new growth point of bilateral ties.

The Chinese side will aid 50 young Serbian scientists in exchange programs with China for the next three years, he said, pledging to strengthen cooperation with Serbia in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

The two sides should oppose hegemony, power politics, group politics and camp confrontation, safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, practice true multilateralism, and promote international fairness and justice, said Xi.

For his part, Vucic said the Serbian side firmly supports China's legitimate position on Taiwan and other issues involving core interests.

Serbia's future is closely linked to China, he said, noting that China's investment and cooperation have greatly promoted Serbia's economic and social development and improved the living standards of its people.

Serbia looks forward to maintaining close exchanges with China in various fields and levels and strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, new energy, innovation, AI and other fields, he said.

Vucic said Serbia welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Serbia and looks forward to opening more direct flights between the two countries to further expand economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Prior to their talks, Xi was greeted by thousands of Serbians. Vucic also held a welcome ceremony for Xi.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents and met with the press.