Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 29, 2021.File photo:Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic on Friday, during which Wang expressed firm support for Serbia in seeking independent foreign policy.

Serbia faces a complex external environment, but as long as it maintains strategic willpower and insists on development, it will overcome difficulties on its road, Wang said during the conversation, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

The conversation came after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday calling for Russia to be suspended from the UN Human Rights Council, citing its "human rights violations in Ukraine." In the voting, 93 countries voted in favor of the resolution, 24 against, and 58 abstained. 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on national television that Serbia voted yes due to heavy pressure and blackmail by some powers.

Analysts said the US-pushed UN resolution, which forced countries to take sides before knowing the full story, may split the UN and undermine the rules-based international order, as the US and the West are promoting a new Cold War mentality in the UN. 

Wang Yi expressed opposition against political pressure on sovereign countries and against forcing other countries to take sides. China is willing to support Serbia for each otherin the international community and within multilateral platforms, including resisting politicization of human rights issues. 

Wang said that China believes Serbia has the wisdom and ability to safeguard its legitimate interests.

Selakovic told Wang that Serbia firmly sticks to the principles of the UN Charter, and would not turn its back on true friends.

Selakovic expressed sincere greetings from President Vucic to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said Serbia is willing to enhance friendship with China and work with China in the face of challenges. 

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang and Selakovic agreed that the Friday phone conversation was very necessary. The two sides are confident in the future of the bilateral ties and would continue to firmly support each other and promote their comprehensive strategic partnership to achieve new developments.

Global Times