Serbia is affectionately called "Seychelles Iron" by many Chinese people.
Eight years ago, President Xi Jinping visited Serbia and left a good story about the Smederevo Steel Plant. Eight years later, President Xi Jinping visited Serbia again, and more than 10000 Serbs waved the national flags of China and Serbia, expressing the warmest welcome to President Xi Jinping. This is a vivid portrayal of "iron friendship".
"I came here today at the invitation of an iron friend. I feel at home. Good friends should move more and communicate more," Xi Jinping said during the talks between the two heads of state.
"The Serbian people are full of gratitude and respect for China, especially President Xi Jinping, and are sincerely proud to be an iron friend with a great country like China." Wuqiqi responded enthusiastically.
During the talks with Vucic, the two heads of state jointly announced to deepen and enhance China Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership and build a community of common destiny in the new era.
Mutual respect and trust, mutual benefit, mutual help, mutual learning …… In the signed articles published by Serbian media, Xi Jinping mentioned the word "mutual" for many times, describing the new prospect of China and Serbia "sharing a new chapter of national development and revitalization".
Economic and trade cooperation, laying a solid foundation for China Serbia relations——
During this visit, the China Serbia Free Trade Agreement made new progress. The Chinese side announced that with the joint efforts of both sides, the agreement will officially enter into force on July 1 this year.
After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the exchange of a number of bilateral cooperation texts in the fields of jointly building the "Belt and Road", green development, digital economy, e-commerce, infrastructure, economy and technology, information and communication, agriculture and food, and media.
On March 21, the CHINA RAILWAY Express with 110 standard containers set out from Shijiazhuang International Dry Port to Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia. Xinhua News Agency (photographed by Zhang Xiaofeng)
Since 2015, China and Serbia have jointly built the "Belt and Road" in high quality and moved forward hand in hand. In 2022, China will become Serbia's largest source of direct investment for the first time.
In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between China and Serbia will reach 4.35 billion US dollars, an increase of more than seven times over 2016. In October of that year, China and Serbia signed the first free trade agreement between China and Central and Eastern European countries.
As a landmark project of the "Belt and Road" jointly built by China and Central and Eastern European countries, on April 25 this year, at the construction site of Bachkatopola Station in Serbia, with the smooth laying of the last group of rails, the Nuosu section of the Hungarian Serbian railway was completed.
"China is willing to expand the import of high-quality agricultural products with Serbian characteristics" and "achieve the goal of opening the whole line of the Hungarian Serbian Railway in Serbia on schedule" …… A number of practical and cooperative livelihood projects will contribute to the building of a community of shared future between China and Serbia in the new era.
"The cooperation between the two countries in infrastructure construction, production capacity and other fields has yielded fruitful results, the depth and breadth of practical cooperation has been expanding, and the quality and efficiency have continued to improve. 'Made in China' and 'Made in China' are really helping Serbia's development," said Li Ming, China's ambassador to Serbia.
Cultural exchanges make China Serbia friendship stronger and stronger——
"Serbia is located in the 'East of the West, West of the East' and has always enjoyed the reputation of 'the key of the Balkans'," Xi Jinping said at the welcome banquet held by Serbian President Vucic. From the Yugoslav film "Bridge", the song "Goodbye, Friend" and other works widely circulated in China to the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade, the sound of zither is melodious. As a country with a long history, cultural exchanges between the two peoples far away hold hands.
On April 29, Guzheng instructor Wang Xuan (left) was teaching at the Chinese Culture Center in Belgrade, Serbia. Photographed by Li Jing, reporter of Xinhua News Agency
Since 2017, the agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Serbia has officially come into force, and the travel between the two countries is "free to go";
Serbian basketball star Jokic cheered for the China United States Rural Basketball Competition;
The first China Serbia Cultural Exchange Forum was held in Belgrade, where about 50 experts, scholars and industry representatives from China and Serbia gathered to share their stories.
Now, when walking on the streets of Serbia, you can see the Chinese signs on the street signs, Confucius Street and China Serbia Friendship Square outside the Chinese Cultural Center …… As Xi Jinping said in a signed article published by Serbian media, "The two peoples have a deep affinity for each other, and cultural, sports, tourism and other people to people exchanges are hot."
"Support 50 young Serbian scientists to carry out scientific research exchanges in China in the next three years" "Invite 300 young Serbian scientists to study in China in the next three years" …… During his stay in Serbia, Xi Jinping announced the first six practical measures of China to support the construction of a community of shared future in Serbia in the new era.
The continuous flow of the Danube River has witnessed the vigorous growth of the tree of friendship between China and Serbia, and the special friendship across time and space is enduring.
