Nikolic: Serbia today has a privileged position in relations with China

The chief representative of the Belt and Road Institute Belgrade in Xiamen, PR China, Danijel Nikolic, stated that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s visit to China carries exceptionally great political, economic and strategic importance for Serbia and represents confirmation of its international reputation. He emphasized that China is one of Serbia’s most important international partners when it comes to preserving territorial integrity and respecting international law.

“At a time when the world is facing serious geopolitical challenges, economic uncertainty and the redefinition of international relations, the fact that Serbia maintains such intensive and substantive relations with one of the world’s leading powers confirms the international reputation of our country and the policy pursued by President Vucic. I think that perhaps the best indication of China’s importance today is the fact that, within just about ten days, Beijing is hosting meetings with the world’s most influential leaders – from United States President Donald Trump, to Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The very fact that Serbia is part of that diplomatic and political framework speaks volumes about how respected and valued our country is in China today,” Nikolic told Kosovo Online.

He emphasized that over previous years President Vucic managed to build personal relationships of trust with the Chinese leadership, which, as he said, brought Serbia concrete benefits – from infrastructure projects and investments, to opening the Chinese market for Serbian products and new forms of technological cooperation.

According to Nikolic, relations between Serbia and China today go beyond the framework of classic bilateral cooperation and are based on mutual trust, respect and highly concrete cooperation – from infrastructure and energy, to technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and the industries of the future.

“It is especially important to point out that Serbia today has a privileged position in relations with China. The signing of the Joint Statement on Building a Shared Future between Serbia and China, as well as the Free Trade Agreement, placed our country in a unique position among European states. I believe that during the meeting special focus will be placed precisely on the further development of economic cooperation, new investments, technological development, the improvement of trade exchange and even stronger ties between the two countries in areas that will define the world’s future development,” Nikolic said.

He emphasized that Serbia has shown that it wants to be a partner that understands global changes and is ready to cooperate with all relevant international actors on the principles of mutual respect and shared development.

According to Nikolic, the People’s Republic of China represents one of Serbia’s most important international partners when it comes to preserving territorial integrity and respecting international law.

“China consistently and principledly supports Serbia’s territorial integrity and respects United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. For Serbia, the fact that one of the world’s most influential countries pursues a principled and stable policy on this issue is of exceptional importance. At a time when international law is often interpreted selectively, China’s support carries additional political weight and significance. It shows that relations between Serbia and China are not based solely on economic interests, but also on mutual understanding, respect for sovereignty and support for the fundamental principles of the international order,” said the chief representative of the Belt and Road Institute Belgrade in Xiamen.

Nikolic pointed out that through his long-term and consistent approach toward China, President Vucic managed to build a level of mutual trust that today gives Serbia special political weight in relations with Beijing, emphasizing that this is the result of a serious, patient, and statesmanlike policy pursued for years.

“That is why this visit also has a strong political dimension. It confirms the continuity of the strategic partnership between the two countries and further strengthens Serbia’s position on the international stage. At the same time, it is important to point out that Serbia pursues a responsible and independent foreign policy, striving to build friendly and partnership relations with both East and West, while above all protecting its national interests and the future of its citizens,” said the chief representative of the Belt and Road Institute Belgrade in Xiamen, Danijel Nikolic.