Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivan Mrkic will pay a visit to the People's Republic of China as a member of the state-business delegation led by President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic, from 26 to 29 August 2013.
Minister Mrkic will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, on 26 August. This is the first visit of Serbian top officials since the election of the new Chinese leadership.
Serbian-Chinese relations are characterized by traditional friendship, deep mutual trust and support regarding the most important issues of national interest. This has also been confirmed by the strategic partnership established between the two countries in 2009, as the highest level of relations.
Ahead of his visit, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic delivered a message to the Chinese news agency Xinhua: "The relations between Serbia and China are historically at the highest level so far. We have close and frequent cooperation at all levels, which is diversified as to scope and areas of cooperation, so that practically walk of life is covered. Of course, the general tone is being set by extraordinarily close political relations, as if geography did not separate us at all."
Minister Mrkic also added that we had virtually identical views on all major issues, as well as supported each other according to the potentials and possibilities.
"We are immensely grateful to China for their support to our territorial integrity, and we are confident that our friendship will strengthen in the coming decades. We are particularly pleased with great successes made by the Chinese leadership and people in all domains of development. Serbia sincerely wishes all the best to China, as a true friend," Mrkic said.