China and Serbia announced Thursday the establishment of a strategic partnership during the first official visit by a Serbian president to the Asian giant, state media said. "Since you took office as Serbian president, you have always valued the China-Serbia relationship and contributed to the development of bilateral ties," said Chinese President Hu Jintao, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Serbian President Boris Tadic arrived in Beijing early Wednesday for a week-long state visit which will take him to the northern Shaanxi province and financial hub Shanghai. Tadic visited China in 2005 and again last year to take part in the Olympic Games opening ceremony, but this is his first official visit since Serbia became an independent state in 2006 after splitting with Montenegro.
He called for a strengthening of commercial ties between the two nations. Trade between China and Serbia was valued at 125 million dollars in the first five months of this year, down 33.1 percent year-on-year. The two nations have enjoyed strong ties since China refused to recognise the independence of Kosovo when it split from Serbia last year, and Beijing offered Belgrade support in its diplomatic battle against the move.
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