Vucic met with Xi Jinping: Economic Cooperation and Kosovo and Metohija are the main topics with President of China (PHOTO)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met early this morning with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He received an invitation to travel to the capital of China for the forum "Belt and road". 

The Honorary Chinese Guard and Red Carpet for the President of Serbia: Vucic arrived in Beijing (TELEGRAF AT THE SCENE)

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The President of China received Vucic at the Beijing Great home of People and he talked with him about bilateral relations. It is their sixth meeting. 

The economic cooperation of the two countries and Kosovo and Metohija were in the focus of the conversations.

Foto: Tanjug/Dimitrije Goll

Vucic assessed at the meeting that Serbia and China are bound by a steel friendship.

- We also owe great gratitude to you and China for everything you have done for Serbia - written on Instagram profile "The future of Serbia" with the photos from the meeting.

Vucic invited his Chinese counterpart to come to Serbia to see the results of the cooperation. 

Foto: Tanjug/Dimitrije Goll

After the meeting, in the presence of Vucic and Xi, several bilateral agreements were signed, which should boost cooperation between the two countries.

During the day, the President of Serbia will take part in the panel "Connecting People", and then he will talk with Wang Huning, a member of the Permanent Committee of the Politburo of China, the member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of China and Director of the Policy Research Office of China.

Upon arrival in Beijing, Vucic said that Serbia, as a small country, was given great honor and respect in China.

He also pointed out that Kosovo will be one of the key topics in talks with the President of China, as well as with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

He added that Serbia and China would form a working group for joint investments and that his request to the president of China is to help Serbia become involved in the development of robotics and artificial intelligence as a small country, given that both the US and Europe are lagging behind in this relationship to China.

FORUM "BELT AND ROAD" 

Vucic reminded that Serbia was the first in Southeast Europe to support the initiative "Belt and Road" and stressed that Serbia wants full cooperation with China.

- In Europe, when you mention China, everybody has some excuses. I have no excuses. Unlike those who tell us every day: "You don't belong in Europe, or we don't want you", Chinese told us: "We want you", and we want that too" - said Vucic, adding that China does not jeopardize the sovereignty and integrity of Serbia.

Foto: Tanjug/Dimitrije Goll

In the Chinese capital, the second Forum "Belt and Road" is being held, where, according to the host's announcements, will be twice as many state delegations than two years ago, on the first gathering, and the officials of the countries of the EU will be there, which didn't participate in this initiative at first.

The forum "One belt, one road" will be attended by Russian president Putin, president of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, of Chezch Republic Milos Zeman, Switzerland Ueli Maurer, Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, Chile Sebastián Piñera, Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Around 40 leaders of states and governments were announced.

Delegation led by the president of Serbia also includes  Minister of Trade and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zora Mihajlovic, Minister of Finance Sinisa Mali, Minister of Mines and Energy Aleksandar Antic, Minister without Portfolio in charge of Innovation and Technological Development Nenad Popovic, as well as the chairman of the National Council for Co-ordination of Cooperation with Russia and China, Tomislav Nikolic.

(Telegraf.co.uk)