Serbian Progressive Party President Milos Vucevic addresses a high-level dialogue marking China-Serbia community with a shared future in Belgrade, Serbia, May 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)
BELGRADE, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A high-level dialogue was held Friday in Belgrade to mark the first anniversary of a declaration signed between China and Serbia on building a community with a shared future in the new era, and to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Speaking at the event, Serbian Progressive Party President Milos Vucevic underlined the long-term importance of the BRI for Serbia and its global relevance, describing it as "a bridge that connects continents, cultures, and economies," and a vital driver of development and prosperity.
He stressed that Chinese investments have significantly boosted Serbia's economy, created jobs, and modernized infrastructure, while cooperation has also expanded into culture, education, and science. Vucevic expressed Serbia's readiness to deepen collaboration in innovation, the green economy, and digitalization.
Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming reaffirmed the strength of political trust between the two countries, noting frequent high-level exchanges and close communication in multilateral forums. "Amid global changes and growing challenges, China and Serbia have firmly supported each other's core interests, coordinated closely in multilateral fora, and demonstrated the contemporary value of their steel friendship," he said.
Li acknowledged Serbia's strong support for China's three global initiatives and praised the country's engagement in high-quality BRI cooperation. He also commended Serbia's stance against unilateralism and in support of multilateralism, fairness, and justice.
The ambassador cited continued progress on flagship projects such as the Belgrade-Budapest railway and expanding cooperation in areas including infrastructure, mining, energy, and emerging fields like green energy, artificial intelligence, and high-end manufacturing.
Bojan Lalic, director of the Belt and Road Institute, recalled the declaration signed last year on the Community of Shared Future for Mankind as a "forward-looking, strategic vision rooted in mutual trust, enduring friendship, and shared appreciation for prosperity, peace, and global cooperation."
He described the event as an opportunity not only to reflect on achievements but to reaffirm both countries' commitment to advancing "comprehensive and multidimensional cooperation, grounded in the principles of sovereign equality and mutual benefit." Lalic called the partnership between China and Serbia "a new model of cooperation -- transformational rather than traditional."
The event at the Belt and Road Institute drew around 100 participants, including officials, diplomats, academics, and business leaders from both China and Serbia. ■
