Xi awards Vučić with the “Friendship Medal” during his visit to Beijing

Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed confidence during a meeting in Beijing with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries will take them "to new levels."

Xi awarded Vučić the "Medal of Friendship", China's highest state award for foreign citizens.

Vučić is on a five-day visit to China, where, according to him, he will discuss military-technical and economic cooperation with China.

Serbia, although a candidate for membership in the European Union, has turned increasingly towards China in recent years.

In addition to political and economic cooperation, it is also increasing military-technical cooperation, becoming the first European country to purchase Chinese weapons.

Officials from both countries call their relationship an "iron friendship."

During the meeting, Vučić and Xi issued a joint statement on promoting and building a Serbia-China community with a shared future in the new era and a joint statement on jointly advancing the implementation of the four global initiatives.

Serbia and China have signed several agreements and memorandums of understanding for cooperation in various fields.

Vučić thanked China for, as he said, China's help to Serbia in difficult times.

"Thank you, President Xi, for everything we have achieved together, for participating with us in the construction of Serbia, for building the exhibition together, and thank you for helping Serbia in difficult times," he said.

Before his meeting with China, the Serbian leader told reporters that among the topics in the closer format of the meeting with the Chinese president will be military-technical and economic cooperation.

"I cannot speak about some complicated issues that are not always fully public, such as military-technical cooperation. We also have some requests, some wishes. This is for a closer format," Vučić said.

He stated that the broader format of the talks would include politics and support for international organizations.

After talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Jiang, Vučić stated that they discussed new investments, infrastructure projects, as well as important geopolitical and regional issues.

He stated that he had asked the Chinese prime minister to help find a strategic partner for the textile company "Jumko" and the furniture factory "Simpo" in southern Serbia.

The topic of discussion was the implementation of the free trade agreement between Serbia and China, and Vučić said that Serbia exported 20 percent more to China in 2025.

The Serbian president also commented on relations between the West and China, saying that protectionism is becoming a key value of the West because it cannot compete in the free market with China.

Vučić also met with the chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Wang Huning, whom he called the "Chinese Kissinger."

"This is a man who has always participated in creating Chinese foreign policy, shaping Chinese ideology. I have carefully written down everything he told me," Vucic said.

It is reported that during the visit the two presidents will sign a joint statement and that around 30 agreements will be signed.

Before leaving for China, Vučić announced that an agreement had been reached for one billion euros in investments.

Serbia's relations with China have strengthened since the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) came to power 14 years ago./ REL