At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, Julius Maada Bio, President and Head of State of the Republic of Sierra Leone, paid a state visit to the People's Republic of China from February 27 to March 2, 2024.
During the visit, the two heads of state held talks in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, exchanged in-depth views on China-Serbia, China-Africa relations, and international and regional issues of common concern, and reached broad and important consensus.
Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, met with President Bio respectively.
1. Both sides agreed that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Serbia, the traditional friendship between the two countries has become stronger, political mutual trust has continued to strengthen, and practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results. The two countries have closely cooperated in international affairs, effectively benefiting the two countries and the two peoples, and becoming a new type of international cooperation. A model for relationships.
Both sides spoke highly of the new progress in bilateral relations since President Bio's state visit to China in 2018. In particular, in the face of the severe challenge of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese and Serbian people have helped each other and fought the epidemic side by side, once again demonstrating the deep friendship of sharing weal and woe.
2. Both sides agreed that in the face of various complex challenges in today's world, the strategic significance of China-Serbia relations has become more prominent.
In order to further promote the development of relations between the two countries and promote cooperation in various fields, the leaders of the two countries decided to deepen the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
3. The two sides reaffirmed their firm support for each country to independently choose a development path that suits its own national conditions, and will strengthen exchanges in state governance and mutual learning of experiences.
Serbia highly appreciates the great changes that the Chinese people have achieved through Chinese-style modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and believes that Chinese-style modernization provides path choices and practical plans for independent development of developing countries.
China believes that under the leadership of President Bio, the goals set in Sierra Leone's "2024-2030 Medium-Term National Development Plan" will achieve substantial development and new achievements will be made in national construction.
4. Both sides emphasized that mutual support on issues involving each other's core interests is the core essence of China-Serbia relations.
China reiterates its firm support for Serbia in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, security and development interests, and firmly opposes external forces interfering in Serbia's internal affairs.
Serbia reaffirms its firm commitment to the one-China principle and believes that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory; it firmly opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and opposes external forces interfering in China's internal affairs. We will not have any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, and we firmly support all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification; we firmly support China’s stance on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet.
5. The two sides agreed to further give play to the leading role of heads of state diplomacy and to intensify exchanges and cooperation between the central and local governments, legislative bodies, political parties and other departments and levels of the two countries.
6. Both sides agree to work together to deepen high-quality cooperation in jointly building the “Belt and Road”.
China appreciates Serbia’s joining and actively participating in the cooperation in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” in 2018. Serbia speaks highly of the positive role that the “Belt and Road” initiative has played in promoting the economic development and improvement of people’s livelihood in the joint construction of the country over the past ten years. .
The two sides signed a cooperation plan on jointly promoting the construction of the "Belt and Road" and decided to adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits under the guidance of the Silk Road spirit of peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win, and adhere to the principles of openness, greenness, The two countries should adhere to the concept of integrity, strive to achieve high standards, benefit people's livelihood, and achieve sustainable goals, strengthen the docking of the two countries' development strategies, and actively promote cooperation in various fields based on their respective comparative advantages and development needs, striving to achieve more practical results.
7. China appreciates Serbia’s joining the “Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative” and supports the inclusion of Serbia as a beneficiary country in the list of Global Development Initiative projects.
Serbia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China at the bilateral and multilateral levels on the implementation of global development initiatives, global security initiatives and global civilization initiatives.
8. Both sides agreed to further expand trade and investment cooperation.
China will invite Serbia to continue to participate in the China International Import Expo and actively support more Serbian products to enter the Chinese market.
China will encourage more companies to invest in Sierra Leone, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, mining, fishery, vocational and technical education and related infrastructure construction, support Sierra Leone's industrialization construction, and facilitate Serbian investment promotion activities in China.
Serbia will further improve the business environment and provide good conditions for Chinese companies to operate in Serbia.
9. The two sides spoke highly of the achievements of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, tourism, education, youth, think tanks, media, sports, public health, epidemic prevention and control, and agreed to further expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, deepen people-to-people friendship, and consolidate the foundation of friendship.
The two sides will promote exchanges between scholars and media.
China will strengthen cooperation with Serbia in the field of human resources and continue to send medical teams to Serbia.
Serbia thanks China for its long-term and continuous support to Serbia’s health field, especially during the Ebola and COVID-19 epidemics.
10. The two sides agreed to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of peace and security, intensify high-level exchanges between the two countries' militaries and police forces, and strengthen cooperation in personnel training, equipment technology, prevention of terrorist attacks, joint exercises and training, and combating transnational crimes.
11. Both sides agreed that they should adhere to the equality of all countries, large and small, oppose hegemonism and power politics, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, and create an economic globalization that benefits all and is inclusive.
China and Serbia are both developing countries and share extensive common interests and similar positions and propositions in international affairs. They will support each other in international affairs and safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law and the purposes of the United Nations Charter. and principles-based norms for international relations, safeguard the unity and cooperation of the international community, adhere to true multilateralism, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
We should promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all mankind, and oppose interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the banner of "democracy and human rights."
China once again congratulates Serbia on its appointment as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2024 to 2025, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with Serbia to jointly safeguard the common interests of developing countries.
12. Both sides reaffirmed their support for the authority of the United Nations and agreed that reform of the United Nations Security Council should support developing countries, including Africa, to play a greater role, expand their representation and voice in the Security Council, and correct the historical injustice suffered by Africa.
China positively evaluates the important role played by Serbia as the chair of the ten-nation Heads of State Committee on Reform of the African Union Security Council and is willing to continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Serbia.
Serbia reiterated that the common position of the African Union based on the "Ezulwini Consensus" and the "Sirt Declaration" is the only feasible option to correct the historical injustice suffered by Africa.
13. The two sides spoke highly of the important role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in promoting China-Africa comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and agreed to strengthen consultation and coordination on Forum on China-Africa Cooperation affairs and jointly implement the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) Practical cooperation in various fields within the framework.
Both sides look forward to the new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation providing strong impetus for the continued development of China-Africa relations.
14. Both sides agreed that during President Bio’s visit to China, China and Serbia reached broad and important consensus and signed a series of cooperation agreements, which was a complete success.
This visit has opened a new era for consolidating bilateral relations and promoting diversified development of cooperation more than 50 years after the two countries established diplomatic relations. It is of great significance for deepening the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
15. President Bio expressed his sincere gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government and people for the warm and friendly reception given to him and the Serbian delegation during their visit.