Chinese, Serbian FMs highlight bilateral friendship, pledge further cooperation

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic held talks here on Thursday, speaking highly of bilateral friendship and pledging efforts to further strengthen bilateral relations.

During the talks, Wang recalled his fruitful meeting with Selakovic in May in southwest China's Guiyang city, saying that two foreign ministers' exchange of visits in less than half a year fully reflected the great importance attached by both sides to China-Serbia relations and the high level of the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership.

Traditional China-Serbia friendship has withstood the test of changes in the world and emerged from the trying times of blood and fire with new dynamism and vitality, he said.

Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership has grown to an unprecedented high level, he said.

Both sides have always supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, protecting their respective legitimate rights and interests and at the same time upholding international equity and justice, he said.

Wang noted that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Serbia have supported each other in difficult times, opening a new chapter of friendship between the two countries.

China regards Serbia as its most reliable partner and firmly supports Serbia to speed up its national development and rejuvenation, said Wang, expressing China's readiness to work with Serbia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and to look at and plan for bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, so as to continue to consolidate their already indestructible friendship and push bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

Selakovic said that the pandemic didn't block the exchanges and cooperation between Serbia and China, whose joint containment efforts have only brought the hearts of the two peoples even closer.

Serbia is proud of the steely Serbia-China friendship, and firmly believes that under the far-sighted leadership of the two heads of state, bilateral relations will continue to achieve new progress, said the Serbian foreign minister.

He stressed that Serbia is willing to work with China through in-depth communication in order to expand all-dimensional cooperation and push bilateral relations to a new height.

Serbia highly values and fully supports President Xi Jinping's proposal of the Global Development Initiative, which is of great significance, he said, expressing confidence in a bright future for bilateral relations and the two countries' just cause.

He reiterated Serbia's firm adherence to the one-China principle and support for China's positions on issues such as those related to Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

During the talks, both sides agreed to support each other's efforts to protect their respective sovereignty, independence and national dignity, enhance communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, jointly and firmly safeguard the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The two sides also agreed to enhance strategic alignment, forge high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, implement major cooperative projects and support the Serbian side's efforts to operate a research facility on Belt and Road.

The two sides also exchanged views on the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and China-Europe relations, agreeing that cooperation conforms to the interests of all parties and that it is necessary to enhance communication, deepen mutual trust and strive for new achievements.

Before their talks, the two foreign ministers jointly witnessed the signing of a document on the cooperation between the two foreign ministries.