Serbia cherishes the friendship with China and is willing to deepen all-around cooperation, including in sports, to promote common development and benefit the two peoples, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said.

The Serbian president made the remarks when meeting with State Councilor Shen Yiqin, who visited the country from Monday to Wednesday.

Shen also held talks with Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic during her visit.

In their talk, Vucevic said the Serbian government will use the country’s hosting of the 2027 Specialized Expo as an opportunity to advance Belt and Road cooperation.

Shen emphasized the importance China attaches to advancing the China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era.

China would like to enhance cooperation and communication with Serbia in various fields, including economy, sports, tourism, and women’s affairs, so as to consolidate bilateral friendship, she said.

During her visit, Shen took a closer look at the development of sports in Serbia, particularly the youth training and league systems for soccer, basketball, and volleyball.

She also visited the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade and inspected the Hungary-Serbia Railway project.