By Talha Ozturk
BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – China and Serbia signed 28 cooperation documents on Wednesday following a meeting between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his host counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, who described the countries' cooperation as reaching a new high level.
Vucic and Xi signed a Joint Declaration of the two countries on expanding their comprehensive strategic partnership and building a Serbian-Chinese community with a shared future in the new era.
Following a delegation-level meeting at the Palace of Serbia in the capital Belgrade, representatives from both countries signed 28 documents of cooperation in the presence of Vucic and Xi, who arrived in Serbia on Tuesday evening.
"We signed a joint statement today. That joint statement is a strategically important direction for the development of our bilateral relations, as well as our worldview," Vucic said at a joint press conference with Xi.
The Republic of Serbia and the People's Republic of China are progressing from strategic relations to bilateral relations, he said, adding, "We are moving on to the community that talks about the common future of our two countries."
Addressing Xi as a "dear friend," Vucic said "the statement on deepening and raising the comprehensive strategic partnership and building the community of Serbia and China with a common future in the new era" is the highest level of cooperation between the two countries.
Vucic said that Serbia supports the principle of one China, and any question that someone would ask the People's Republic of China about it is their internal question.
He said Serbia supports the principle of one China.
"Taiwan and Hong Kong are issues for the People's Republic of China. As long as China wants to, these issues will be resolved. And it will always have the Republic of Serbia's support because that is the foundation of the United Nations charter and international public law," Vucic said.
The Serbian president thanked his Chinese counterpart for his unequivocal position on Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the Republic of Serbia's territorial integrity.
On Tuesday evening, Vucic and his wife Tamara Vucic welcomed Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport with a Serbian Army guard of honor.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic were also present at the airport.
Xi, for his part, said Serbia will be the first European country with which Beijing will form a community with a shared future.
"We jointly announced that we will create a community between China and Serbia with a shared future in the new era, ushering in a new chapter in Chinese-Serbian relations.
“Eight years ago, Serbia became China's first Comprehensive Strategic Partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, Serbia is becoming the first European country where we will create a community with a shared future," he said.
He added that his meeting with Vucic, whom he described as an exceptional statesman, had left him deeply impressed.
"Under your leadership, Serbia maintained stability, achieved rapid economic development, and people's living conditions improved. You are an exceptional statesman with a strategic vision," he said.
A large crowd gathered on the plateau in front of the Palace of Serbia to welcome Xi, waving Chinese and Serbian flags.
Vucic and Xi took a moment between the meeting to greet the citizens.
MiG-29 fighters escorted Chinese leader Xi's plane in Serbian airspace.
Xi's first official visit in eight years coincides with the 25th anniversary of the bombing of China's Embassy in Belgrade.
Serbia is one of three stops on the Chinese president's European tour, which started in France and will end in Hungary.
Due to the visit, strict security measures are in place in Belgrade, and a large number of uniformed police officers are on the streets.