President Xi Believes His Visit to Serbia Will Mark New Chapter in Chinese-Serbian Relations

Xi Jinping (Photo: Serbian Government/Pedja Vuckovic)

Upon arriving in Belgrade on May 7, Chinese President Xi Jinping said it was a great pleasure to officially visit Serbia “at the warm invitation” of President Aleksandar Vucic. Xi passed on the “warm regards and best wishes to the friendly government and people of Serbia” in the name of his own government and people and expressed his belief that his visit will be “fruitful and open a new chapter in relations between China and Serbia.”

“China and Serbia have offered one another strong support in matters relating to our fundamental interests and great concerns. Together, we have supported international fairness and justice and contributed to promoting peace and development in the world,” Xi said in a statement released by the Chinese Embassy late on May 7 and broadcast by the RTS public service.

The Chinese president went on to say that “Serbia and China’s ironclad friendship has set deep roots in the hearts of their two peoples” and that he is convinced a new chapter in relations between their countries will result from his visit.

“China and Serbia have a traditionally deep friendship. Our bilateral relations have withstood the test of changeable international circumstances and have become a positive example of relations between countries. Since forging a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016, [our] bilateral relations have yielded historic results,” Xi stated.

According to him, the two countries are strongly tied by mutual political trust and have achieved “fruitful results in the high-quality Belt and Road collaboration.”

Xi recalled that Serbia and China have agreed on the full mutual abolishment of visa requirements, instituted direct flights between their territories and signed an agreement on free trade, while exchange between their peoples “continues to flourish.”