China, Serbia showcase ironclad friendship during Xi's second state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on May 7 for a state visit, marking the second stop of his European tour and his second state visit to the country in eight years.

The visit garnered significant media attention, with over 15,000 news reports published between May 5 and May 12. Many foreign media outlets highlighted the ironclad friendship between China and Serbia by reported details of the visit, such as the arrangements made for the Chinese delegation and the exchange of state gifts.

Serbia's warm reception of Xi was the most eye-catching aspect of the visit. Foreign media outlets reported on the detailed arrangements made by Serbia, showcasing the country's thoughtfulness hospitality towards President Xi and his delegation, who had journeyed from afar.

According to The Spectator, a British magazine, thousands of Serbs gathered outside the Palace of Serbia on May 8 to welcome Xi, chanting "China, Serbia."

"The red flags start at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport and run all the way along the motorway into the centre of Serbia's capital. This is Serbia's way of showing that it is proud of its 'ironclad friendship' with China - and welcoming Xi Jinping to Belgrade," a BBC article stated.

Serbian daily newspaper Politika reported on May 7 that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic prepared Serbian wine and Chinese songs, including "What a Beautiful Jasmine Flower" and "Me and My Country," for the state banquet.

In addition to the touching details highlighted by foreign media, the exchange of state gifts between the two countries added another heartwarming chapter to the heartwarming story of the China-Serbia friendship.

Eight years ago, during Xi's first state visit to Serbia, workers from Serbia's steel producer Smederevo Steel Plant presented Xi with a custom-made commemorative plaque featuring the plant's silhouette.

Pakistan Today, a Pakistani English-language daily newspaper, noted that the round steel plaque "symbolizes the ironclad friendship between China and Serbia."

The continuous improvement in the operations of Smederevo Steel Plant, acquired by Chinese steel manufacturer HBIS Group in 2016, is an important testament to the two countries' friendship, according to an article published on the website of Bastille Post, an online newspaper based in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

During his recent visit to Serbia, Xi presented Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic with steel sculptures produced by the Smederevo Steel Plant. The sculptures feature the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, symbolizing the unshakeable China-Serbia friendship.

Serbian newspaper Večernje Novosti also reported that Serbia issued special commemorative stamps with the theme "Friends from Afar" to welcome its Chinese friends.

Cultural exchanges between China and Serbia are like a long river continually nourishing the flower of friendship between the two peoples.

As cultural cooperation between the two countries yields more splendid fruits in the future, they will jointly compose an even more magnificent chapter of their ironclad friendship.

Zhou Ting is a professor at the Communication University of China.