Belgrade, Serbia — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Belgrade on Tuesday, marking the second leg of his European tour, with a clear message: China and Serbia’s cooperation should develop with “stronger momentum.”
Upon his arrival at the Serbian capital, President Xi was warmly welcomed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. In a written speech, Xi hailed the “traditional friendship” between China and Serbia, emphasizing the significant progress made since the establishment of their comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.
“Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016, the bilateral relationship has realized leapfrog development and achieved historic results,” Xi stated. He highlighted the “rock-solid political mutual trust” shared by the two nations and praised the fruitful outcomes of their high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Chinese president underscored the advancements in people-to-people exchanges, citing the comprehensive mutual visa exemption, the initiation of direct flights between the two countries, and the signing of a free trade agreement. “Our ironclad friendship has taken deeper roots in the heart of the two peoples,” Xi noted, attributing the strength of their cooperation to the principles of equality and mutual benefit.
Looking ahead, Xi expressed his commitment to working with Serbia to “open up a new vista in China-Serbia cooperation with stronger momentum, greater scope, and higher quality.” He emphasized the importance of staying true to their original aspirations and forging ahead together.
“I look forward to taking this visit as an opportunity to have an in-depth exchange of views with President Vucic on the bilateral relationship and other issues of mutual interest,” Xi said. “We will renew friendship, plan for cooperation, explore development, and draw up a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations.”
President Xi conveyed his confidence that the visit would be fruitful and would “open up a new chapter in China-Serbia relations.” His visit signifies a deepening of ties between China and Serbia, reflecting a shared vision for future collaboration across various sectors.
