Today, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, received a delegation of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee headed by Wu Bangguo, Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

The Speaker and Chairman agreed that the two countries are characterised by a long traditional friendship and excellent and deepening political and economic cooperation.

The NARS Speaker stressed that China understands Serbia’s basic foreign policy goals and represents one of Serbia’s four foreign policy cornerstones.

“Just as our unchanged political position is one China, we also owe China a debt of gratitude for its principled position in observing international law regarding Serbia’s sovereignty and integrity”, stressed the Speaker, adding that China supports and understands Serbia’s efforts to become a full-fledged EU member. Wu repeated that China’s position on the unilaterally declared Kosovo independence would not change.

“China thanks Serbia for the firm support of its central interests and insistence on the one China policy: support as regards Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang”, said the Chairman of the Chinese Parliament’s Standing Committee.

Stating that improvement of parliamentary cooperation is the priority of his visit to Belgrade, Wu expressed pleasure at the excellent meeting with the Parliament Speaker whom he invited to visit China next year.

Presenting the treaties signed today at the Assembly between the Governments of the PR China and the Republic of Serbia as a stimulus for further deepening of bilateral relations, the Speaker and Chairman agreed that there is ample room for improvement of infrastructural, cultural and health care cooperation.

China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo presented Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic with a donation of technical equipment for the Serbian Assembly.

Representatives of the Serbian and Chinese governments signed several interstate treaties at the National Assembly, inter alia from the spheres of finance, health care and culture.

Minister of Finance Diana Dragutinovic and Chairman of the Chinese Exim Bank Li Ruogu signed an agreement on a concession loan for container vehicles control system, as well as an agreement on a preferential consumer loan for the Zemun-Borca Bridge and accompanying facilities. In the presence of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Serbian Government representatives, the President of the Republic of Serbia Boris Tadic and Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee Wu Bangguo laid the cornerstone of the Zemun-Borca Friendship Bridge.

Slobodan Ilic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Gao Hucheng, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce, exchanged notes for China’s Grant Aid to Serbia.

Miodrag Djidic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce signed a framework Agreement on a concession loan.

Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic and China’s Ambassador to Serbia Wei Jinghua signed a Memorandum of Understanding on health and medicine.

Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Guangya signed a memorandum on the bilateral creation of culture centres.