Gasic meets with Chinese ambassador

BELGRADE - Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic received Chinese Ambassador to Belgrade Li Ming on Friday to discuss the security situation in the region and worldwide as well as defence cooperation.

Gasic noted that regional stability was a strategic interest of Serbia and that Serbia and China maintained intensive political dialogue at the highest level in that regard, which he said further contributed to advancement of bilateral relations, the MoD said in a statement.

He noted that the personal relationship between Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Xi Jinping lent a special quality to the traditionally friendly, "steely" relations between the two countries.

Gasic thanked China for its unreserved support for the preservation of Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and noted that China's position on the Kosovo-Metohija issue had always been sincere and principled.

He added that Serbia supported the One China policy.

Gasic noted that Serbia, in spite of all challenges, continued to pursue a responsible policy of peace and stability and remained committed to respect of international law and full implementation of agreements reached to date.

He said defence cooperation with China was intensive and highly developed, focusing on military-economic cooperation and cooperation in military technology, and added that there were prospects of expanding cooperation in military medicine and military education, which he noted was in mutual interest.

Thanking Gasic for the opportunity to meet with him, Li highlighted the significance of bilateral defence cooperation and the existence of mutual interest in taking military-to-military cooperation to a higher level.