Chinese president Xi Jinping welcomed leaders present at the Summer Davos Forum in Beijing. Aside from highlighting the benefits that China's "Belt and Road Initiative" will bring to their countries, Xi also got the chance to meet with Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic.
Xi Jinping welcomed the delegates to the Summer Davos Forum in Tianjin. This included Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic. Xi praised Serbia at the same time, citing the bilateral relationships between the two countries have borne fruit. Xinhua Net highlighted that the Chinese president was largely welcoming of the Serbian delegation led by its president, and was hopeful that this opens a new chapter in Sino-Serbian relations.
China has been hugely cooperative with Serbia on issues that affect their national interests as well as some concerns. President Xi Jinping highlighted international justice as well as a multilateral approach to trade as areas of particular interest for both nations. On trade, Xi drew the spotlight on Chinese company Hebei Iron and Steel Group as well as Serbia's Smederevo steel plant as an example of a working relationship between the countries on a financial level.
Xi Jinping also took the opportunity to highlight China's "Belt and Road Initiative," saying that it would bring better understanding between the countries as well as spur opportunities to the people living in each country. It wasn't only Serbia whom the Chinese president envisioned as a part of the Initiative-he cited other participants such as Estonia, Latvia, and Samoa as countries who will benefit hugely from the Initiative.
The Serbian president was all praises for Xi Jinping and China. ECNS stated that Serbian president Vucic was particularly pleased about the revival of the Smedevero steel mill, showing what kind of benefits joining the "Belt and Road Initiative" could bring to a country-economic growth, jobs for the people, and revival of recently closed enterprises.
To this, the president committed to becoming a "truehearted" counterpart of the Chinese people in the Initiative and vowed to continue what has been a long time of fruitful friendship between their nations. Using the Initiative, he said that Serbia will become a willing participant as well as explore what other areas both countries could cooperate and mutually benefit from.
Chinese president Xi Jinping and Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic also witnessed several bilateral signings on previously discussed agreements between the two countries.
