Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivan Mrkic had talks, on 12 October 2013, with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (DMFA) of PR China Sung Tao, who visited Belgrade to hold a coordination meeting with the Chinese Ambassadors serving in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), in the framework of the preparations for the China –CEE Summit to be held in Bucharest, in late November 2013. MFA Mrkic and DMFA Sung assessed that Serbia-China relations were characterized by traditional friendship and a high level of mutual confidence and support. They underlined the great importance of the recent visit by President Nikolic to China and the joint efforts aimed at implementing the agreements reached on that occasion.

Minister Mrkic pointed out that Serbia attached great importance to the strengthening of strategic partnership with China and expressed satisfaction at the meeting held with Chinese Minister Wang, during the visit of President Nikolic to China. Mrkic reiterated to his Chinese guest the expectation that the visit of Foreign Minister Wang to Serbia would take place soon.

DMFA Sung said that China was ready to further strengthen its cooperation with Serbia in trade and other areas, as well as to intensify the political dialogue. DMFA Sung confirmed Chinese support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and its efforts to resolve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija peacefully, through dialogue with Pristina, expressing at the same time Chinese gratitude for Serbia's principled support to China's policy.

Foreign Minister Mrkic and Deputy Foreign Minister Sung, who is also Secretary General of the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and CEE countries, also discussed the preparations for the China - CEE countries, to be held in Bucharest. It was mutually agreed that the cooperation between China and CEE countries was having an upward trend, constituting a highly important and useful platform for further intensifying their relations and cooperation.