According to Xinhua News Agency, on the evening of May 7, local time, the top level of the Chinese side ended all its visits to France, and opened the second stop of its European trip, Serbia, with fruitful results. After the highest-level Chinese plane entered Serbian airspace, the Serbian military immediately dispatched two warplanes to escort the plane. The pick-up arrangement arranged by the Cypriot side is even more rare in the world, with a red carpet, flowers, honor guards, and folk dance performances to show its welcome to the Chinese side at the highest level.
Almost all members of the Serbian hierarchy were dispatched to greet them
In addition, in addition to Vučić, the speaker of the Serbian parliament, the prime minister, the foreign minister, and the chairman of the China Cooperation Committee were all present to receive the plane, and even former Serbian President Nikolic and his wife appeared at the scene of the meeting. Such a large and high-standard reception scale intuitively shows that Serbia attaches great importance to China's high-level visit and its high expectations for China-Serbia relations, which is moving. In fact, before the visit of the top level of the Chinese side, Serbia had done a lot of work. From the airport in Belgrade to the city, the Chinese and Cypriot flags are flying all the way. On some of the tall buildings, there are even huge slogans welcoming the top of the Chinese side.
Although China and Cyprus are separated by thousands of miles, no matter how the international situation changes, the iron-clad friendship between the two countries has always been as solid as a rock. On many issues involving China's core interests, Serbia's position has never been ambiguous and resolutely supports China. The two-way rush between China and Cyprus has deepened the bilateral friendship. Prior to the visit, the top level of the Chinese side published a signed article in the Serbian media, in which basically all the things that China and Serbia want to talk about.
The welcome atmosphere is full
The first is bilateral cooperation. In recent years, relying on bilateral and multilateral cooperation platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Cyprus have achieved fruitful results in infrastructure, economy and trade, and China-Cyprus cooperation has become a model of China-EU cooperation. For example, the E763 highway, an important link to the Montenegro estuary, the Hungarian-Serbian railway connecting Belgrade and Budapest, and the Serbian National Football Stadium, which has just been groundbreaking. In the signed article, the Chinese side said at the highest level that it will continue to work with the Cypriot side to create a new situation of cooperation in a wider range of fields and with higher quality.
Secondly, a ceremony was held to mourn the victims of the NATO bombing. The day the Chinese top level published a signed article in the Serbian media was the 25 th anniversary of NATO's bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Chinese side has made it clear that the Chinese people cherish peace, but will never allow the tragedy of history to happen again. China and Cyprus have never forgotten this blood debt owed by NATO. Almost every year, there are memorial events on both sides.
The first highway built by a Chinese company in Europe connects Montenegro to the sea
Now that China is strong, no force dares to repeat this tragedy in China. But Serbia still faces a direct threat from NATO. In recent years, NATO and the European Union have been coercing and inducing Vucic in an attempt to force him to recognize Kosovo's "independent status." But in the face of a crowd of enemies, Vučić did not give in. On the Kosovo issue, China has always strongly supported Serbia and demanded that all parties respect Serbia's sovereignty. At the recent Security Council session, China also urged the Kosovo authorities to stop unilateral measures that exacerbate confrontation and intensify contradictions.
In addition, in recent years, under the instigation of the United States, NATO is gradually extending its influence to the Asia-Pacific region, frequently colluding with Asia-Pacific countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Not only that, but NATO, in its official documents, also bluntly referred to China as a "systemic challenge". The date of China's top-level visit to Cyprus will be scheduled on the day of the anniversary of NATO's bombing of the mainland embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which is also a blow and warning to NATO.
Commemorative Day of NATO's bombing of the continental embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
For Serbia, China's help is important in its special geopolitical situation. China's political support for Serbia and its strong support on the international stage have emboldened Serbia to fight back in the face of pressure from the West. The help of Chinese enterprises in Serbia's economy, infrastructure and other fields can help Serbia's development and make Vučić more confident in the face of the EU. The friendship between China and Cyprus has been tempered by blood and fire, and with a strong friendship, China-Cyprus relations will surely reach a higher level in the future.