President Xi Jinping called on China and Serbia, bonded by their unique ironclad friendship, to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, expand cooperation in emerging sectors, enhance youth and people-to-people exchanges, and step up coordination in international affairs, as he held talks with visiting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Beijing on Monday.

Xi awarded Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China, the country's highest state honor for foreigners.

The two sides also issued a joint statement on Monday on continuously promoting the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future for the new era, as well as a joint statement on jointly promoting the implementation of the four major global initiatives.

During the meeting, Xi recalled his state visit to Serbia in 2024, when the two countries agreed to build a China-Serbia community with a shared future for the new era, making Serbia the first European country to join China in building such a community.

Xi called on the two countries to strengthen exchanges, consolidate mutual trust, deepen cooperation and support each other, in order to jointly follow a bright path toward a shared future and common prosperity and promote the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height.

Xi stressed that the ironclad friendship between China and Serbia is unique, with profound historical logic and a strong foundation in reality, and he urged the two sides to continue to firmly support each other.

China supports Serbia in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and is ready to strengthen exchanges with Serbia on governance experience, Xi said.

Noting that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) has made comprehensive arrangements for high-quality development goals, Xi said the two sides should implement the midterm action plan for Belt and Road cooperation and continue to advance cooperation in areas including transportation and energy infrastructure.

Facing a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the two sides should expand cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green energy and advanced manufacturing to foster new growth drivers, Xi said.

On youth and people-to-people exchanges, Xi said the two sides should make good use of the multidimensional framework of their visa-free policies, free trade agreement and direct flights, expand cooperation across the board in culture, education, sports, tourism and subnational exchanges, and carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Serbian peoples.

Against the backdrop of a turbulent and changing international situation, China and Serbia should continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, practice true multilateralism, and make joint efforts to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, as well as the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

Vucic, in his speech, congratulated China on the successful formulation and implementation of its 15th Five-Year Plan.

"Esteemed President Xi, dear friend, over the past 10 years since we established the strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and Serbia, we have achieved major and significant results," Vucic told his host.

He said the Serbian people will never forget China's support for the European country in safeguarding its independence and sovereignty, and in independently exploring a development path suited to its own conditions. Serbia is grateful to Chinese companies for participating in its national development and making important contributions, Vucic said.

According to a social media post of the Serbian president, nearly 40,000 people in his country now work for Chinese companies, and four of the top six exporting enterprises in Serbia are from China.

Serbia attaches great importance to developing relations with China and firmly supports China's core interests, he said. Belgrade looks forward to working with Beijing to deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advance major projects, enhance people-to-people exchanges and achieve more tangible results in bilateral relations, Vucic said.

He noted that China, as a major country, has always treated small countries with equality and respect and abided by international law, setting an example for the world.

Vucic arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a five-day state visit, his first to China as Serbian president.

Premier Li Qiang and Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, held separate meetings with him on Monday.

Web editors: Shen Jianqi, Zhang Rui