Chinese President Xi Jinping and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hold talks in Belgrade, Serbia, May 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
BELGRADE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China and Serbia have decided on Wednesday to build a community with a shared future, an upgrade of their relations from the comprehensive strategic partnership established eight years ago.
The decision was declared by visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, during their meeting in the Serbian capital.
Xi said the ironclad China-Serbia friendship has stood the test of changing international situation, and enjoys a firm political foundation that boasts profound history, as well as solid public support with extensive common interests.
In recent years, Xi said he and Vucic have jointly led the leapfrog development of bilateral relations and made historic achievements.
In particular, since the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Serbia was established in 2016, bilateral relations have grown richer in connotation, and continuously expanded in scope, becoming a model of friendly relations between China and European countries, he said.
Actions speak louder than words, Xi noted. He said the Chinese side is willing to work with Serbia to continue to stand together through thick and thin, share a common future, and uphold the spirit of the two countries' ironclad friendship.
China is also ready to join Serbia to maintain and develop the amity of the two countries, jointly safeguard the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, pursue development and rejuvenation of their own country, and jointly advance the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, he said.
Xi stressed that Serbia is China's first comprehensive strategic partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Cooperation between the two sides has injected strong impetus into the two countries' respective development and revitalization, delivering tangible benefits to the two peoples, he said.
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, he said.
The building of the China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era is an elevation of the two countries' ironclad friendship, and it also represents the shared values and goals of both sides, namely, seeking common development, achieving win-win cooperation and pursuing common progress, which is the shared vision of both countries and nations worldwide that uphold independence and strive for peace and development, Xi said.
Xi said that the two sides should deepen and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries by building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, thereby advancing the modernization of their respective nation.
He called on both sides to underscore the strategic significance of the bilateral ties, and grasp the overarching direction of the relationship. China supports Serbia in upholding independence and pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and also supports Serbia's efforts to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Xi said.
The two sides should continue to firmly support each other, deepen strategic cooperation, and safeguard their respective political security and fundamental interests, he added.
Xi also urged the two countries to adhere to the practical nature of bilateral cooperation and bring benefits to the two peoples. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries has yielded fruitful results, Xi noted.
Both sides, Xi said, should steadily promote cooperation in traditional areas like transportation and energy infrastructure, such as ensuring the timely completion of the entire Belgrade-Budapest railway project, jointly managing major cooperation projects, and creating more "small yet smart" projects for public well-being, so as to continue to deliver positive economic and social benefits.
The China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement will come into effect on July 1 this year, Xi noted, saying that the high-level mutual opening-up between China and Serbia will surely enter a new stage.
China will continue to import more high-quality agricultural products with Serbian features, and is ready to invite 300 young Serbian people to China for study and exchange in the next three years, he said.
Serbia is welcome to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges in an all-round way, he added.
The Chinese leader called on Beijing and Belgrade 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.
In the next three years, Xi said, China will support 50 young Serbian scientists to carry out research exchange visits to China, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with Serbia in artificial intelligence (AI) to promote the rational development and application of AI for humanity.
Xi called on the two countries to jointly oppose hegemonism and power politics, as well as bloc politics and camp confrontation, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practice genuine multilateralism, and promote international fairness and justice. ■
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic prior to their talks in Belgrade, Serbia, May 8, 2024. Xi and Vucic on Wednesday held talks here. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic prior to their talks in Belgrade, Serbia, May 8, 2024. Xi and Vucic on Wednesday held talks here. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
In this combo photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic prior to their talks, is greeted by thousands of Serbians in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 8, 2024. Xi and Vucic on Wednesday held talks here. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen, Ding Haitao)
