ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicholdtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.(Xinhua/LiXueren)BELGRADE,May8(Xinhua)--ChinaandSerbiahavedecidedonWednesdaytobuildacommunitywithasharedfuture,anupgradeoftheirrelationsfromthecomprehensivestrategicpartnershipestablishedeightyearsago.ThedecisionwasdeclaredbyvisitingChinesePresidentXiJinpingandhisSerbiancounterpart,AleksandarVucic,duringtheirmeetingintheSerbiancapital.XistressedthattheironcladfriendshipbetweenChinaandSerbiahasstoodthetestofthechanginginternationallandscape,sayingthatsuchfriendshipischaracterizedbyprofoundhistoricalroots,solidpoliticalfoundation,extensivecommoninterestsandstrongpopularsupport.Overthepastfewyears,Xisaid,undertheleadershipofhimandVucic,thebilateralrelationshiphasleapfroggedwithhistoricprogress,andsincetheestablishmentofacomprehensivestrategicpartnershipin2016,inparticular,thebilateralrelationshiphasbeenenrichedinsubstanceandexpandedinscope,whichhasbecomeanexampleforChina'sfriendlyrelationswithotherEuropeancountries.Actionsspeaklouderthanwords,Xinoted.HesaidChinawillstandshouldertoshoulderwithSerbia,sharewealandwoelikepassengersinthesameboat,carryforwardthespiritoftheironcladfriendship,maintainandgrowtheirfriendship,andjointlysafeguardfundamentalandlong-terminterestsofthetwocountries.Asthetwosidespursuetheirrespectivenationaldevelopmentandrevitalization,ChinawilljoinhandswithSerbiatoadvancethebuildingofacommunitywithasharedfutureinthenewera,headded.XistressedthatSerbiaisChina'sfirstcomprehensivestrategicpartnerinCentralandEasternEurope,sayingthattheirbilateralcooperationhasinjectedstrongimpetusintotheirrespectivedevelopmentandrejuvenation,andbroughttangiblebenefitstothetwopeoples.Underthenewcircumstances,SerbiahasbecomethefirstEuropeancountrytobuildwithChinaacommunitywithasharedfuture,whichspeaksvolumesaboutthestrategic,specialandhigh-levelChina-Serbiarelations,hesaid.TheChina-Serbiacommunitywithasharedfutureinthenewera,Xisaid,isanupgradeoftheironcladfriendshipbetweenChinaandSerbia,addingthatitalsorepresentstheircommonvaluesandobjectives,namely,jointpursuitofdevelopment,win-wincooperationandmutualsuccess.ThesearethecommonaspirationsofChina,Serbia,andallcountriesthatarecommittedtoindependence,peaceanddevelopment,headded.BybuildingaChina-Serbiacommunitywithasharedfutureinthenewera,thetwosidesshouldkeepdeepeningandexpandinghigh-qualityBeltandRoadcooperationandcollaborationbetweenChinaandCentralandEasternEuropeancountries,thuscontributingtotheirrespectivemodernization,Xisaid.TheChineseleadercalledonthetwosidestohighlightthestrategicnatureofthebilateralrelationshipandkeeptoitsgeneraldirection,sayingthatChinasupportsSerbiainupholdingindependenceandpursuingadevelopmentpathsuitedtoitsnationalconditions,andsupportsitseffortsinsafeguardingnationalsovereigntyandterritorialintegrity.Thetwosides,Xisaid,shouldcontinuetooffereachotherfirmsupport,deepenstrategiccooperation,andsafeguardtheirrespectivepoliticalsecurityandfundamentalinterests.HeurgedChinaandSerbiatostaycommittedtopracticalcooperationanddeliverwelfareforthetwopeoples,sayingthathigh-qualityBeltandRoadcooperationbetweenChinaandSerbiahasachievedremarkableresults.Thetwosidesshouldsteadilyadvancecooperationintraditionalareassuchastransportationandenergyinfrastructure,makesuretheentireSerbiansectionoftheBelgrade-Budapestrailwaygointooperationasscheduled,jointlyoperatewelltheirmajorcooperationprojects,createmoresmallandbeautifullivelihoodprojects,andcontinuetogeneratepositiveeconomicandsocialimpacts,hesaid.WiththeChina-SerbiaFreeTradeAgreementsettotakeeffectonJuly1thisyear,thehigh-standardmutualopeningupbetweenChinaandSerbiawillsurelyenteranewstage,Xisaid,addingthatChinawillcontinuetoimportmorehigh-qualityagriculturalspecialtiesfromSerbia.TheChinesesidewillinvite300youngSerbianstoChinaonstudyandexchangeprogramsinthenextthreeyears,saidXi,addingthatChinawelcomestheopeningofdirectflightsfromBelgradetoShanghaibytheSerbiansidesoastocomprehensivelydeepenpeople-to-peopleexchanges.Xialsocalledforopeningupnewprospectsofcooperationwithafocusontheinnovationdimensioninbilateralrelationsandmakinginnovationcooperationanewgrowthdriverintherelationship.Chinawillsupport50youngSerbianscientistsintakingpartinscientificresearchexchangesinChinainthenextthreeyears,Xisaid,addingthatChinaisreadytoworkwithSerbiatostrengthencooperationonartificialintelligence(AI)andendeavortoensurehumanityproperlydevelopandutilizeAI.ItisimportantforChinaandSerbiatojointlyrejecthegemonismandpowerpolitics,andopposeblocpoliticsorblocconfrontation,Xisaid,addingthatthetwosidesshouldjoinhandstoupholdthepurposesandprinciplesoftheUNCharter,practicetruemultilateralism,andpromoteinternationalfairnessandjustice.Forhispart,VucicextendedthewarmestwelcometoXiandnotedthatChinaisSerbia'smostsincerefriend.AlthoughSerbiaisasmallcountry,Chinaalwaysfullyrespectsitssovereigntyandterritorialintegrity,andprovidesvaluablesupportforitseconomicandsocialdevelopment,hesaid.VucichailedXiasagreatworldleader.HesaidthatunderXi'sstrongleadership,Chinahasmaderemarkableachievements,andithasbecomeabeaconofdevelopmentandprogressoftheworldandisplayinganincreasinglyimportantleadingroleininternationalaffairs.TheCommunistPartyofChinaseekstoenhancethewell-beingofnotonlytheChinesepeople,butalsopeopleacrosstheworld,hesaid,addingthattheSerbianpeoplearefullofgratitudeandrespectforChina,especiallyforPresidentXi,andfeeltrulyproudtobeanironcladfriendtosuchagreatnation.SerbiafirmlysupportsChina'slegitimatepositiononissuesconcerningitscoreinterestsincludingonTaiwan,hesaid,addingthatthereisbutoneChinaintheworld,andthatSerbiawill,withouthesitation,continuetounswervinglyprovideChinawithfirmsupport.VucicnotedthatChina'sinvestmentinandcooperationwithSerbiahavegreatlyfacilitatedthelatter'seconomicandsocialdevelopmentandimprovedSerbianpeople'slivingstandards,sayingthatsince2016,inparticular,thankstothepersonalcommitmentandsupportbyXi,theHBISSmederevosteelplanthashadimmenselypositivesocioeconomicimpacts.Thetransformativechangesinthesteelplant'sdevelopmentprospectshavealsoboostedtheconfidenceandraisedthehopeofthepeople,headded.Serbia'sfutureiscloselylinkedwithChina,hesaid,addingthatSerbialooksforwardtointensifyingexchangeswithChinainallareasandatalllevels,andtostrengtheningcooperationwithChinainvariousfieldsincludinginfrastructure,newenergy,innovation,artificialintelligenceandpeople-to-peopleandculturalexchanges.Serbiawillactivelyadvancehigh-qualityBeltandRoadcooperationwithChina,andworktoensurethattheSerbiansectoroftheBelgrade-Budapestrailwaywillbecompletedasplanned,hesaid.VucicsaidSerbiawelcomesinvestmentcooperationfrommoreChinesebusinessesandlooksforwardtoopeningmoredirectflights,addingthatbuildingontheentry-into-forceofthebilateralFreeTradeAgreement,SerbiaisreadytoexpandeconomicandtradecooperationwithChina.TheannouncementondeepeningandelevatingthecomprehensivestrategicpartnershipandbuildingaChina-Serbiacommunitywithasharedfutureintheneweramarksanewmilestoneinthehistoryofthisbilateralrelationship,henoted.SerbiafirmlysupportsandwillactivelyparticipateintheGlobalDevelopmentInitiative,theGlobalSecurityInitiativeandtheGlobalCivilizationInitiativeputforthbyXi,hesaid,addingthathiscountrywillstayinclosestrategiccoordinationwithChinainmultilateralfora,jointlyopposehegemonismandpowerpolitics,upholdthepurposesoftheUNCharter,anddefendinternationalfairnessandjustice.Afterthetalks,thetwopresidentssignedtheJointStatementonDeepeningandElevatingtheComprehensiveStrategicPartnershipandBuildingaChina-SerbiaCommunitywithaSharedFutureintheNewEra.TheyalsowitnessedtheexchangeofmultiplecooperationdocumentsincludingonBeltandRoadcooperation,greendevelopment,digitaleconomy,e-commerce,infrastructure,economicandtechnicalcooperation,informationandcommunication,agri-food,andthemedia.XiandVucicalsohadajointmeetingwiththepress.Priortotheirmeeting,VucicaccompaniedXitotheplatformofthePalaceofSerbia.OnthesquareinfrontofthePalace,some15,000SerbianpeoplewerewavingnationalflagsofChinaandSerbiatoexpressthewarmestwelcometoXi.TheChineseleaderwavedtothecrowd,whichburstintojubilant,prolongedapplauseandcheers.LaterinhismeetingwithVucic,XisaidthathewasdeeplytouchedwhenhewasgreetedattheairportbyPresidentVucictogetherwithmanyseniorgovernmentofficialswhoheldagrandwelcomingceremonyforhisvisit.HealsosaidhewasdeeplymovedbythegenuinefriendlinesstowardChinafromtheSerbianpeoplewhoaregoodfriendsoftheChinesepeople.Inthiscombophoto,ChinesePresidentXiJinping,accompaniedbySerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicpriortotheirtalks,isgreetedbythousandsofSerbiansinBelgrade,Serbia,onMay8,2024.XiandVuciconWednesdayheldtalkshere.(Xinhua/HuangJingwen,DingHaitao)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingattendsawelcomeceremonyheldbySerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicpriortotheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.XiandVuciconWednesdayheldtalkshere.(Xinhua/PangXinglei)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingattendsawelcomeceremonyheldbySerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicpriortotheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.XiandVuciconWednesdayheldtalkshere.(Xinhua/PangXinglei)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingattendsawelcomeceremonyheldbySerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicpriortotheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.XiandVuciconWednesdayheldtalkshere.(Xinhua/LiXueren)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicholdtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.(Xinhua/LiXueren)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicholdtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,May8,2024.(Xinhua/LiuBin)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicsignajointstatementonthebuildingofaChina-Serbiacommunitywithasharedfutureinthenewera,aftertheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,onMay8,2024.Inthejointstatement,thetwocountriesdecidedtodeepenandelevatetheChina-Serbiacomprehensivestrategicpartnership.(Xinhua/HuangJingwen)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicjointlymeetthepressaftertheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,onMay8,2024.(Xinhua/LiuBin)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicjointlymeetthepressaftertheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,onMay8,2024.(Xinhua/DingHaitao)ChinesePresidentXiJinpingandSerbianPresidentAleksandarVucicjointlymeetthepressaftertheirtalksinBelgrade,Serbia,onMay8,2024.(Xinhua/HuangJingwen)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.