China Serbia flags Photo: VCG

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djurić is scheduled to pay an official visit to China from December 19 to 21. The visit is at the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. Chinese expert believed that the visit is expected to further solidify ties and explore new areas of common interest.

In his X post on Thursday, Djurić wrote that "At the start of my visit to the People's Republic of China, I was pleased to reconnect with Ms. Chen Bo, President of the China Institute of International Studies and former Chinese Ambassador to Serbia, whose invaluable contributions have greatly advanced our bilateral relations."

Speaking at a regular press conference on Monday on Djurić's visit to China, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian said that Serbia is China's ironclad friend. 

In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Aleksandar Vučić, bilateral relations have realized leapfrog growth and historic achievements. Cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and education continues to expand, and bilateral relations have been deepened and upgraded, the spokesperson said. 

Through this visit, China stands ready to work with Serbia to consolidate their ironclad friendship, strengthen strategic communication, deepen practical cooperation and advance the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, Lin noted.

With the Serbian Foreign Minister's visit, it is anticipated that cooperation between the two countries in various fields will further deepen. Collaboration in emerging areas such as technology, environmental protection, and culture will also inject new momentum into the friendship between China and Serbia, said Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China.

Wang Yiwei told the Global Times that for Serbia, seeking China's assistance in security matters is crucial in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the struggle against a "color revolution." 

Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict altering the landscape in Europe, and with an upcoming new US administration, Serbia still aims to maintain its own balance in its diplomacy during this period. As a result, China has become a focal point of its foreign policy, leading to an increased need for coordination and communication with Beijing, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

President Xi visited Serbia in May this year, and was warmly welcomed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his wife, Tamara Vucic, at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, according to Xinhua News Agency.

During the visit, Xi and Vučić signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, an upgrade of relations from the comprehensive strategic partnership established in 2016. The deal makes Serbia the first European country to build such a community with China, the Xinhua report said.

On October 17, 2023, President Xi met at the Great Hall of the People with Serbian President Vučić who was in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Vučić said he has led a large government delegation to China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which has demonstrated Serbia's respect and friendship for China and the importance Serbia attaches to China. Vučić noted that the Serbia-China relationship has withstood various tests, Xinhua reported.