(Beijing, 13 October 2013) MFA of Serbia I. Mrkić had a meeting on 12 October 2013 with the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Song Tao, who visited Belgrade for a meeting with the Chinese ambassadors from the CEE region, as part of preparations for the summit of China and CEE countries in Bucharest, at the end of November this year.

During the meeting, both sides expressed their willingness to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Serbia and China in all areas and confirmed a high degree of mutual trust and support. They emphasized an importance of a visit of the Serbian president T. Nikolić to China in August 2013, when a Joint declaration on deepening the strategic partnership between Serbia and China was signed. Referring to his meeting with Chinese MFA Wang during the visit of president Nikolić to China, Minister Mrkić reiterated his expectation that MFA Wang would soon visit Serbia.

Chinese side reiterated consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and our views on Kosovo and Metohija, while Serbian side repeated its continued support to the policy of "one China".

MFA Mrkić and Vice-MFA Song Tao, who is also the Secretary General of the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and CEE countries, exchanged views on the upcoming China - CEE Summit, to which both sides attach great importance.