Xi Tells Vucic: Serbia is China’s Ironclad Friend

Aleksandar Vucic , Xi Jinping, Beijing, Oct.17 2023 ( instagram.com/buducnostsrbijeav)

In a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Beijing on Oct. 17, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that bilateral relations had sustained changes in the international landscape over the past few years and stood as an example of friendly ties between China and European countries.

According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi called Serbia “an ironclad friend,” adding that “the two countries have enhanced cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, while continuously advancing the depth, scope, quality, and efficiency of their collaboration.” Xi also said he was very happy to see his old friend again and extended a warm welcome to Vucic at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.  

In Beijing, Serbia and China signed four agreements, the most important of which is a Free Trade Agreement relating to 10,412 products from Serbia and 8,930 Chinese products. The document was signed by Serbia’s Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Ventao in attendance of the two countries’ presidents.

The two countries also signed a Memorandum of cooperation and exchange in the domain of economic development policy, a Memorandum of joint promotion of industrial and investment cooperation, and a mid-term action plan on the Belt and Road initiative.

The general manager of Serbia’s state telecommunications operator Telekom Srbija, Vladimir Lucic, signed a commercial agreement with Chinese multinational technology corporation Huawei on the third phase of modernizing Serbia’s landline telephone network. Lucic is also to sign an agreement with the Bank of China on financing the undertaking.