Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Chinese and Serbian legislative bodies to increase exchanges in various fields to contribute to relations between the two countries here on Saturday.

Exchanges between legislatures will be an important component of the newly-upgraded China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said at a meeting with Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic, noting that the exchanges have yielded positive results in recent years.

The legislative bodies can improve their communication mechanisms, further deepen friendly ties at all levels, and strengthen exchanges of experience in legislation, supervision and governance, according to the president.

Xi also urged the legislatures to promote China-Serbia mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, culture, people-to-people exchanges and to enhance collaboration in international parliamentary organizations.

Through these efforts, the legislatures can contribute to the healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic partnership, said Xi.

Earlier in the day, Xi and Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic signed a joint statement to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

China is willing to work with Serbia to increase high-level contacts, strengthen communications and coordination on major global and regional issues, deepen pragmatic cooperation under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) cooperation, and international production capacity cooperation, and expand direct exchanges between the two peoples, Xi told Gojkovic.

Gojkovic said she believes that Xi's state visit to Serbia, a big event for the Serbian people, will surely upgrade the traditional friendship and cooperation.

The Serbian National Assembly is committed to Serbia-China friendship and is ready to enhance exchanges and cooperation with China's legislature, the National People's Congress, to promote bilateral ties in various fields, she stressed.

Xi arrived in Belgrade Friday for a three-day visit to the Balkan country. It is the first state visit by a Chinese head of state to Serbia in 32 years.