During a meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivana Dulich
Markovich, visiting State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said on Sunday
that China is willing to work together with Serbia to promote the
bilateral ties to a new level.
Tang told Markovich that China is devoted to the development of
bilateral relations and that it respects the path of development
taken by the Serbian people as well as the domestic and foreign
policies pursued by the Serbian government.
China will join efforts with Serbia to promote the bilateral
relationship to a new level, Tang stressed.
The first step, Tang said, is to maintain high-level visits,
promote parliamentary, party, regional and people-to-people
exchanges, strengthen mutual understanding and trust, and
consolidate the political basis of bilateral ties.
The second one is to deepen trade and economic cooperation,
raise the standards of cooperation, continue to broaden the fields
of cooperation, map out cooperation priorities, expand mutual
investment, facilitate a balanced trade, and achieve mutual benefit
and a win-win situation.
The third one is to strengthen communication and cooperation in
culture, education and tourism, expand the social basis of
bilateral friendship, Tang said, adding that China decided to make
Serbia the destination country for Chinese tourists.
The fourth step is to forge a closer consultation in
international affairs and safeguard common interests of both
countries.
Tang said China is satisfied with the sound development of the
ties between the two countries.
He also expressed China's appreciation for the Serbian
government's adherence to the one-China policy.
On her part, Markovich mentioned that China is Serbia's reliable
friend and its largest trade partner in Asia, adding that the
sustained and rapid economic development of China offers a model
for Serbia to learn from.
It is an important part of the Serbian foreign policy to
continue to develop the Serbian-Chinese ties. Serbia will continue
to pursue the one-China policy, she noted.
On Sunday, Tang and Markovich attended a ceremony for signing
the agreement on the Sino-Serbian economic and technological
cooperation, and the opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute in
Belgrade.
Tang, at the invitation of Markovich, arrived in Belgrade on
Saturday for a three-day official visit. Serbia is the first stop
of Tang's eight-day official visit, which will also bring him to
Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Croatia.
(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2006)
