China and Serbia agreed to deepen security and economic cooperation, with the leaders of the two nations hailing the “ironclad friendship” and strategic bonds between their countries during Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s first state visit to Beijing.
In a comprehensive joint statement issued on Monday, the two sides said they would deepen cooperation in counterterrorism, preventing colour revolutions and the tightening of security for major events and Belt and Road Initiative projects.
“Both sides will continue to conduct joint police patrols, joint training and drills for special forces and collectively enhance their operational capabilities in law enforcement and security,” the joint statement said, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
During talks with Vucic at the Great Hall of the People on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the “ironclad friendship” between the two countries rooted in history and reality, adding that “both sides should continue to firmly support each other”, according to Xinhua.
“In the face of a complex and volatile international situation, China and Serbia should continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, practise genuine multilateralism, and make unremitting efforts to promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world,” he said.
The two sides signed over 20 deals covering cooperation in politics, trade, tech, education and cultural exchanges, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The meeting came as China and Serbia marked the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership, and followed Xi’s meetings with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.
It also highlighted Serbia’s importance to Beijing’s European strategy.
Serbia was the first European country to formally join China’s initiative to establish a community with a shared future for mankind, which aims to redefine the norms of international cooperation around principles such as mutual respect, sovereignty and non-interference.
Vucic’s five-day trip, which ends on Thursday, began with a visit to the Great Wall.
Following the talks, Xi awarded Vucic the Friendship Medal, the highest honour China bestows on foreign nationals.
The medal was first awarded to Putin in 2018 and has since been awarded to several others, including Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former president of Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon.
In a social media post, Vucic said there was “no greater honour” than to receive the medal.
Vucic was greeted with a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square featuring an honour guard and 21-gun salute.
Vucic said on social media that he had “important and meaningful” talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang about the improvement of bilateral relations, infrastructure projects, new investment and key geopolitical and regional issues.
Friendship and partnership with Beijing are “invaluable” for Serbia, according to Vucic, who thanked China for its “enormous contribution” to his country’s economic development.
He added that the talks on Monday were of “utmost importance” to Serbia and its national interests.
The meeting underscored Serbia’s efforts to balance its relationship with the European Union and its partnerships with countries such as Russia and China.
Although Serbia remains officially committed to joining the EU, it has refused to join the bloc in sanctioning Russia – traditionally its closest international partner – and has been actively pursuing partnerships outside the bloc.
Belgrade has embraced Chinese-financed infrastructure projects funded through preferential loans and signed a free-trade agreement with Beijing in 2023.
This agreement benefited Serbian exporters of agricultural and manufactured goods, while allowing high-value Chinese machinery and electronics to enter the Serbian market duty free.
China is also Serbia’s largest source of foreign direct investment, according to the commerce ministry in Beijing.
Beijing views Serbia as a gateway between Central Europe and the Balkans, with the Belgrade-Budapest railway project at the heart of its plans to increase connectivity within Europe. The railway is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s strategy to grow global trade.
On Sunday, Vucic wrote in the South China Morning Post that Europe should look at China “not through the lens of fear, but through the prism of realism and mutual respect”, adding that Serbia’s relationship with China was “based on sovereignty and practical results”. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
