The five-day state visit to China by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic from May 24 to 28 was the best reflection of China's diplomatic principles, including the longstanding Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence — mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

The grand reception Vucic received in Beijing shows that China is committed to treating all countries, regardless of size, with equal respect.

This was further highlighted when President Xi Jinping awarded Vucic the Friendship Medal at the Great Hall of the People, the highest honor bestowed on foreign nationals by China.

Vucic is a deserving recipient of the medal for his significant contributions to promoting China-Serbia friendship and advancing bilateral ties.

The medal is also an appreciation for Serbia's independent foreign policy as a sovereign nation in international affairs.

Having spent nearly seven years in Brussels covering the European Union, I understand the pressure Serbia faces from the EU.

Maintaining an independent foreign policy that does not fully align with Brussels is challenging for any national leader, especially for Serbia, an EU candidate country since 2012.

Unlike many EU leaders, Vucic has consistently urged diplomatic solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He has also advocated closer cooperation with China.

He used Serbia's positive experience to illustrate how the partnership with China has brought concrete benefits to ordinary people, workers and families.

It sends a clear message to other European countries that de-risking or protectionist strategies do not serve anyone's interests.

During my visits to Serbia, I witnessed the active participation of Chinese companies in the construction of the Belgrade-Budapest railway and various other infrastructure projects.

The more than 20 cooperation documents signed this week between the two governments will take bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

The two countries aim to tap the huge potential by aligning China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and the Serbia 2030 national development agenda.

Unlike some other major powers, China has never interfered in the internal affairs of Serbia or any other country, always treating them with full respect and equality.

The same principle is reflected in China's decision to grant zero-tariff treatment from May 1 to exports from 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations.

It is worth noting that the agreement signed between China and Serbia to promote the implementation of China's four global initiatives — on global development, global security, global civilization and global governance — is extremely significant not just for the two countries but also for the entire world.

These initiatives aim to rally the international community to address many acute challenges facing the world today and make it a better place for every country.

That is also why Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in his address at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Wednesday, emphasized the need to reinvigorate global development cooperation to strengthen mobilization, and revitalize global governance platforms to enhance their capacity for effective execution.

It's no secret that China and Serbia are quite different in culture, history, religion, political systems, and the size of their territory, population and economy.

They are also more than 7,000 kilometers apart. But that does not prevent the two countries from developing a strong mutually beneficial relationship based on equality and mutual respect.

It's a partnership that serves as an exemplary model of international relations.

The author is a China Daily columnist.

chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn