PM praises "true friendship" with China

PM praises "true friendship" with China

In front of the Palace of Serbia, the Chinese prime minister was welcomed by Vucic and the ceremony was accompanied by honorary army platoon and intonation of the two countries' anthems.

The Serbian prime minister expressed satisfaction that he has the opportunity to be the host of one of the world's most powerful leaders.

"We are a small country in terms of size but the people who live here stand for greatness and they feel China as a true friend," Vucic said.

He noted that Serbia supports the One-China policy.

We are consistent in our policy and we will not change it, Vucic said.

He called on Chinese companies to invest in Serbia and make use of the trade agreements Serbia has with other countries.

The meeting between the two delegations will be followed by a ceremony to sign several agreements, after which the Serbian and Chinese prime ministers are due to address the media.

On Thursday, the Chinese prime minister will meet Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, and then the Chinese delegation will take part in the ceremony marking the opening of the Zemun-Borca Bridge that has been built by a Chinese partner.

Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali will present Chinese Prime Minister Li with an honorary citizen award.

Li is the first Chinese prime minister to visit Serbia since 1986.

"Friendship growing stronger"

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang stated on Wednesday at the start of the talks with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic that that the friendship between the two countries is going stronger, adding that Beijing insists on deepening economic cooperation that is useful for both sides.

Li congratulated Serbia on successful organization of the Third Meeting of China and CEECs stressing that in the previous years, outstanding results have been made in realization of numerous projects.

Prime Minister Li also underlined that the two countries offer political support to one another in terms of crucial interests, stressing that China respects the development pathway that Serbia has chosen.

Noting that the two countries are different with regards to their territory and population size, Li underlined that it is a principle of the Chinese foreign policy to respect every country and treat it as its equal, since every country has its specific advantage, culture and approach through which it tries to contribute to the development of the civilization.

Li said that he is in Serbia for the first time, noting that the last time a Chinese prime minister visited Belgrade was 28 years ago.

The Chinese prime minister underscored that the two countries have a traditional friendship, particularly in the last few years, based on mutual respect and appreciation.

Serbia and China agree on key political issues, Aleksandar Vucic stated and underscored that both countries are conducting independent policies and policies of peace and are not jeopardizing anyone's territorial integrity.

Vucic expressed gratitude to Li Keqiang for his country's respect for Serbia's policy and EU path and its treatment of Serbia as a free, independent and autonomous country.

He expressed the belief that the two countries' relations would additionally progress in the future, and expressed gratitude to the Chinese prime minister for his visit to Serbia.

"We are honored and proud to have such a guest," the Serbian prime minister told a joint news conference after the talks with Li Keqiang and the delegation of the People's Republic of China.

EU pathway

Serbia and China share the same stance when it comes to the principles of preservation of the international system established after WWII and respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang stated on Wednesday.

The Chinese delegation had fruitful and successful talks in Belgrade, Prime Minister Li said, stressing that a consensus has been reached on promotion and preservation of world peace.

China and Serbia offer support to one another when it comes to crucial issues, said Li, adding that Beijing supports Serbia's EU pathway.

At a joint press conference after the talks with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Li underlined that the two countries cherish a traditional friendship based on mutual trust.

He said that the traditional friendship will be used to promote the practical cooperation in the areas of culture, tourism, science and education.

As of next year, the Chinese government will double the scholarships for CEECs students, as it is our most sincere wish to have as many Serbian students in China as possible, Li said.

Speaking about the Third Meeting of Heads of Government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries in Belgrade, the Chinese prime minister said that several agreements have been reached on new projects, which is a significant step forward in the cooperation.

The modernization of Belgrade-Budapest railway line is a project of great importance as it will not only improve the connections between the two countries but also boost the development of economy across the region, he pointed out.

Noting that the agreement on this project was reached at the Bucharest summit last year, the Chinese prime minister said that in Belgrade the agreement was inked and the project extended to include Macedonia and Greece.

With the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade line, and by connecting Belgrade with the Greek port of Piraeus, the so-called China-Europe Land Sea Express Line will be complete, Li explained.

He added that Serbia has an important position on this railway, which will be built according to the European standards.

The construction of this railway line will not only deepen the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, but it will also solidify the ties between China and Europe, said Li.

The prime minister of China said that he was pleased to have visited Serbia at the invitation of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Noting that it was a return visit, he extended the sincere greetings from the people of China to the people of Serbia.

The delegations of Serbia and China signed on Wednesday 13 agreements and memorandums in the fields of infrastructure, transport, finance, agriculture and telecommunications.