Awarding ceremony of decorations pressented by the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić to deserving individuals and institutions in the People's Republic of China was held in the Embassy of Serbia.

Members of the Chinese medical team which visited Serbia at the beginning of 2020, in order to help in the fight against the pandemic, were awarded the Gold Medal of Merit for their outstanding contribution and assistance to the Republic of Serbia and its citizens in carrying out activities to prevent the infectious disease Covid-19. The Order of the Serbian Flag of the First Degree was awarded by presidential decree to the BGI Group for the improvement of cooperation between Serbia and China in the field of scientific research in the field of genetics, while the Golden Medal of Merit was also awarded to the writer Chen Danyen, for the results achieved in the promotion of Serbia in China.

 

Ambassador Maja Stefanović presented the awards to the laureates on behalf of President Vučić. In her welcoming speech Ambassador emphasized that the awards are a reflection of our country's deep gratitude for the contribution that the laureates made to the further strengthening of relations between Serbia and China, and that the role of individuals in strengthening our relations is of enormous importance. She pointed out that relations between Serbia and China have strengthened in times of prosperity, and especially in times of challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. She emphasized that since China was the first country to donate aid and send a team of medical experts to Serbia during our most intensive period of fight against the pandemic, China has proven itself as a loyal friend of Serbia. She also pointed out that in the fight against the virus, Serbia was especially helped by BGI Group's "Fiery Eye" laboratories in Belgrade and Niš. Emphasizing the importance of cultural ties between our two nations, Ambassador Stefanović said that Chen Danyen contributed to a better understanding and popularity of Serbia in China with contributions to cultural exchanges and documentary films about Serbia. She also added that Ms. Chen's engagement was confirmed by her appointment as ambassador of the Tourism Organization of Serbia.

 

With great gratitude for the honor shown and the highest national decorations of the Republic of Serbia, the Chinese laureates emphasized in their speeches the deep friendship between the people of Serbia and China. Doctor Peng Jiqiang, on behalf of the team of decorated Chinese doctors, pointed out that during the fight against Covid-19, true friendship was developed with his colleagues in Serbia. He also added that he was touched by the treatment that Serbia showed, particularly since President Vučić personally met them at the airport. The Vice President of BGI Group and the leader of the company's team in Serbia, Xiong Tao, referred to the shared experiences of the fight against the pandemic, which strengthened the friendship between the two nations, and pointed out that he hoped for further development of scientific cooperation between Serbia and China in the field of artificial intelligence and the application of other advanced technologies in the medical field. Expressing her gratitude and great satisfaction for the decorations, Chen Danyen said that the extraordinary hospitality and inspiring life stories in Serbia are a great inspiration for her work in the field of culture, which she intends to continue with the aim of further developing connections between our two peoples.

 

The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from Chinese institutions - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Health Commission, the Guangdong Provincial Government, the Guangdong Health Commission, the party leadership of the First Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou and representatives of the leading media in China - state news agency Xinhua, daily Global Times, Beijing Daily and China International Radio CRI.