Beijing, December 23rd—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, held video talks here today with Ivica Dačić, President of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and Speaker of the National Assembly.

Song said, China and Serbia are ironclad friends and comprehensive strategic partners. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Aleksandar Vucic, bilateral relations have prospered. In the face of the complex international situation and the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, China and Serbia have always worked together and supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The SPS is the old friend and good partner of the CPC. President Dačić visited China in the early stage of China’s fight against the epidemic, reflecting the special friendship between our two parties and two countries in concrete ways. We are willing to, together with the SPS, jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen experience exchanges in state governance and administration, enhance strategic mutual trust and make good use of intra-party channels to promote the Belt and Road cooperation. We will deepen cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, support friendly exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries, and provide more political support and legal guarantees for bilateral cooperation in various fields, so as to benefit the two countries and peoples.

Song mainly introduced the spirit of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Central Conference on Economic Work. He said, China is working faster to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, which will not only inject constant impetus to China’s development in the future, but also provide a huge market and more opportunities for all countries in the world, including Serbia.

Dačić congratulated on the successful convening of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Central Conference on Economic Work, spoke highly of China’s huge achievements of advancing epidemic control and promoting economic and social development in a coordinated manner under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and thanked the Chinese side for the timely and precious support and help. Dačić said, the SPS cherishes and values its friendly relations with the CPC, firmly follows the One China principle, and supports China’s stance on issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Serbia is willing to work with China to jointly push the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and bring cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries to new highs. The National Assembly of Serbia is willing to further deepen exchanges with the National People’s Congress of China.

Qian Hongshan, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and Chen Bo, Chinese Ambassador to Serbia were present.

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