The iron-clad friendship between China and Serbia has endured and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. At the invitation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Serbia from May 7 to 8, 2024. During the visit, the two heads of state jointly announced the building of a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era, realizing a new great historical leap forward in China-Cyprus relations. In the face of major changes in the world unseen in a century, the two countries will pursue their respective national development and national rejuvenation side by side, and work together to promote the building of a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era, which will not only bring tangible benefits to the two peoples, but also make new contributions to the cause of peace and progress for mankind.
The head of state diplomacy has drawn up a new blueprint for China-Cyprus relations
A new positioning of China-Cyprus relations. The most important outcome of President Xi Jinping's visit to Cyprus was the signing of a joint statement by the two heads of state, jointly announcing the deepening and upgrading of the China-Cyprus comprehensive strategic partnership and building a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. Fifteen years ago, Serbia became the first Central and Eastern European country to establish a strategic partnership with China. Eight years ago, Serbia became China's first comprehensive strategic partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, Serbia has become the first European country to work with China to build a community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping stressed that this fully reflects the strategic, special and high level of China-Cyprus relations, and "achieves a new great historical leap in China-Cyprus relations". The China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era is the sublimation of the iron-clad friendship between China and Cyprus, and also represents the common values and goals pursued by both sides, that is, seeking common development, win-win cooperation and mutual achievement, which is the common vision of China and Cyprus and all countries in the world that adhere to independence and pursue peace and development.
A new stage of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. In addition to the Joint Statement on Building a China-Cyprus Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, the two heads of state witnessed the exchange of 28 bilateral cooperation texts in the fields of infrastructure, economy and technology, green development, e-commerce, agriculture and food. The two heads of state announced that the two countries will jointly implement the outcomes of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, deepen and expand cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, digital, information and communication, jointly safeguard the safety of projects and enterprise personnel, and lay the foundation for building a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. The two sides will actively implement the free trade agreement signed in October last year and the medium-term action plan for the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides are willing to promote the balanced development of bilateral trade, and China is willing to expand imports of Serbian high-quality agricultural products and other products, and is happy to see more Serbian high-quality products transported to the Chinese market through the China-Europe freight train.
New highlights of scientific and technological innovation cooperation. The two sides announced that they will actively promote more practical results in the exchange of young scientists, poverty alleviation through science and technology, technology transfer, joint research, and joint construction of scientific research platforms. The two sides agreed to jointly develop new productive forces in the light of local conditions, build high-tech industrial cooperation projects, and encourage and promote investment cooperation to this end. The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the field of space science and technology. China welcomes the Cypriot side to join the International Lunar Research Station. The two sides attach great importance to cooperation in the field of information and communication technology. China is ready to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Cypriots in areas such as communication infrastructure, 5G, cloud computing, big data and smart photovoltaics, and promote high-quality development in the field of information and communication.
A new realm of people-to-people bonds. During President Xi Jinping's visit to Serbia, 15,000 Serbian people waved the national flags of China and Serbia and chanted "China" and "Serbia", expressing the warmest welcome to President Xi Jinping, which became the most vivid portrayal of the iron-clad friendship between China and Serbia. The cordial and friendly interaction between the two heads of state has frequently appeared in hot searches, setting off a new wave of friendship between China and Cyprus. The two countries have reached a consensus that the two sides attach great importance to and are willing to strengthen cooperation in the fields of culture, education, sports, tourism, radio and television, journalism and communication, support two-way exchanges between students, support exchanges and cooperation between institutions of higher learning of the two countries, and expand cooperation in the fields of film and television, media, and online audio-visual.
It was announced that the building of a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era will come naturally
China and Cyprus have always been good friends who treat each other sincerely. The two sides understand each other, trust each other, support each other and help each other, and firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests on the basis of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. China respects and supports the development path chosen by the Serbian people themselves, supports Serbia's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and opposes the imposition of any plan on the final status of "Kosovo" and the interference of any force in Serbia's internal affairs. Serbia speaks highly of China's historic achievements and changes in the new era, unswervingly pursues the one-China principle, opposes any form of "Taiwan independence," and firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese Government to realize national reunification.
China and Cyprus have always been good partners for win-win cooperation. Serbia is one of the first European countries to sign the Belt and Road cooperation document with China. Over the past 10 years, the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Serbia's national development strategies such as the Serbia Vision 2025 has continued to deepen, and the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Serbia has achieved gratifying results. Major projects such as the Hungarian-Serbian Railway, the E763 Highway, the Belgrade Ring Road, and the Smederevo Steel Plant have achieved good economic and social benefits and have become the "acceleration" of Serbia's modernization. Bilateral trade between China and Cyprus has continued to grow, jumping from US$596 million in 2016 to US$4.35 billion in 2023. China has been Serbia's largest importer, second largest trading partner and important source of foreign investment for many years. In 2023, the two countries signed a free trade agreement, and Serbia became China's first free trade partner in the Central and Eastern European region.
China and Cyprus have always been a good example of promoting fairness and justice. As iron-clad friends and defenders of world peace, China and Serbia share similar positions on many major international and regional issues. The two sides uphold the international order based on international law, including the UN Charter, respect the principles of independence, equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold multilateral cooperation with the UN at its core, and uphold true multilateralism. The two sides advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, uphold the equality of all countries, big or small, and oppose hegemonism and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism. The two sides work closely in coordination and cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations to promote global and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
China and Cyprus have always been good friends of people-to-people bonds. China and Serbia are far apart, but the two peoples have always been close to each other. During the fiery years of the anti-fascist war and the period of national construction in the last century, the peoples of the two countries cultivated profound friendly feelings that transcended time and space. Twenty-five years ago, in the face of NATO bombing, the blood and tears shed by the Chinese and Serbian people forged an iron-clad friendship between China and Cyprus. After the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, China in 2008, Serbia immediately extended a helping hand to China and selflessly provided a large amount of relief materials to the people in the disaster area. In the fight against the new crown epidemic, the people of the two countries helped each other, leaving a warm moment of President Vučić kissing the Chinese national flag. The people of the two countries have a deep affection for each other, and there are lively cultural and cultural exchanges in the fields of tourism, tourism, etc.
The prospects for building a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era are bright
Strategic communication is the steer for the China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. President Xi Jinping pointed out that building a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era is a strategic choice for both sides. Strengthening strategic communication and grasping the general direction of bilateral relations through head-of-state diplomacy is conducive to the two countries continuing to deepen strategic synergy and walking side by side. The two sides will continue to firmly support each other, deepen strategic cooperation, and safeguard their respective political security and fundamental interests.
Pragmatic cooperation has paved the way for a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. The practical cooperation between China and Cyprus in various fields has achieved gratifying results, injecting strong impetus into each other's development and revitalization, and truly benefiting the people of the two countries. President Xi Jinping announced China's support for the first six practical measures to build a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, including the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement will come into force on July 1 this year, China will continue to expand imports of high-quality agricultural products with Serbian characteristics, and China will invite 300 Serbian teenagers to study in China in the next three years. The two sides will continue to promote practical cooperation in a wide range of fields, with high quality and good benefits, which will not only provide a solid boost to each other's economic and social development, but also become a vivid practice of promoting economic globalization and inclusive development.
Innovation and cooperation will empower the growth rate of the China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. China and Cyprus will carry forward the innovative nature of bilateral relations, open up new prospects for cooperation, and turn innovative cooperation into a new growth point for bilateral relations. China will support 50 young Serbian scientists to carry out scientific research exchanges and visits to China in the next three years, and is ready to strengthen cooperation with Serbia in the field of artificial intelligence to promote the rational development and application of artificial intelligence for all mankind.
People-to-people exchanges have added luster to the China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era. The iron-clad friendship between China and Cyprus has been tempered by blood and fire, and has shone with new brilliance in the new era. The two countries will create more opportunities for young people by creating a three-dimensional and diversified pattern of people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation, making good use of the effect of "visa-free + direct flights", giving full play to the role of mutual cultural centers, and increasing cooperation in education, sports, culture and tourism, so as to create more opportunities for young people and pass on the friendship between China and Cyprus.
Today, China-Cyprus relations are standing at a new starting point, facing precious opportunities and bright prospects. The two heads of state will continue to maintain strategic communication, lead China-Cyprus relations and the building of a China-Cyprus community with a shared future in the new era to achieve more results, benefit the two peoples, and continue to make new and greater contributions to world peace and development.
(Author's Affiliation: Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought Research Center)