Serbia has become an increasingly popular tourist destination for Chinese travelers, thanks to its iron-clad friendship between the two nations, its picturesque scenes, and motivation of the visa-free policy.
A poll by the Institute for European Affairs and Smart Plus Research in 2023 revealed that 75 percent of Serbians consider China a friendly nation. This deep bond stems from decades-old cultural influences, mutual trust during critical junctures, significant joint projects, and shared experiences of tragic events.
Serbia offered visa-free entry to Chinese tourists in 2017, which has contributed significantly to its growing popularity as a travel destination among Chinese tourists.
"I remember Serbia fondly. I stayed for a month during the summer of 2019. Serbia was the first visa-free European country to Chinese travelers. But at that time, there were no direct flights," a vlogger-influencer, who holidayed in Serbia before, told China Global Television Network (CGTN) through a voice text.
Since 2022, multiple direct flights connecting some Chinese cities with Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, have been established, further enhancing the country's allure for tourists.
Days before President Xi's state visit to this Balkan country, streets linking the Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to the center of the capital have been adorned with national flags of China and Serbia, underscoring the affinity of fraternal ties between the two nations.
Belgrade, a captivating city, offers a plethora of attractions, while Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city located just half an hour away, showcases its unique architectural charm. Both cities provide indelible experiences for visitors.
"I came to see a country with a good diplomatic relationship with China," said a tourist.
"Because firstly, Serbia and China have had a great relationship in recent years. Also, Serbia has beautiful scenery, which is why I wanted to visit. But mainly it's because of the visa-free policy," said another tourist.
The hospitality of the locals, the amenity of direct flights, and the visa-free policy all contribute to Serbia's magnetism for Chinese tourists. However, the underlying factor that cements this popularity is the enduring ironclad relationship between China and Serbia, which is ubiquitous in the capital city and throughout the country.
Serbia becomes popular tourist destination for Chinese travelers
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a hard landing in Iran's northwestern province of East Azerbaijan on Sunday, state-run IRIB TV reported.
Raisi’s helicopter was part of a convoy of three helicopters which was on its way from Khoda Afarin County, where Raisi had attended the inauguration ceremony of a storage dam along with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, to the provincial capital Tabriz where Raisi was scheduled to attend the inauguration of a petrochemical complex, according to the report.
"On May 19 local time, the helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi made a hard landing in East Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran. According to our investigation in Iran, the incident took place near the Varzaghan area of East Azerbaijan. From the live broadcast on Iranian national television, we can see that the entire area of the accident site is in a state of severe foggy weather, which caused great trouble to the search and rescue work. In addition to Iranian President Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan Province, and other officials and entourage were also on the helicopter," said Li Jiannan, a CCTV reporter in Iran.
Speaking to IRIB TV, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attributed the helicopter's rough landing to the unfavorable weather conditions, which he said also impacted search and rescue work.
The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Pirhossein Kolivand told IRIB TV that 40 rapid reaction teams had rushed to the scene and were monitoring the region while noting that there were difficulties in reaching the scene by land or by air due to the mountainous terrain and the bad weather conditions.
Kolivand, however, said drones were being used to search the region.
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri has ordered the army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the police to make all-out efforts to search for and rescue the president and his accompanying team, said the Iran Newspaper.
Speaking to IRIB TV, Iranian Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said medical teams had been stationed near the possible crash site.
Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi said in a post on social media platform X that Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and several cabinet members were on their way to Tabriz after a meeting in Tehran.
Following the incident, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressed his hope that President Raisi and accompanying officials would be able to return home safely, saying that everyone should pray for them. Iranian people do not need to worry, and the work of the country and the government will not be affected, he said.
Following reports of the incident, leaders of neighboring countries, including Azerbaijan and Iraq, expressed concern over the developments and said they were ready to assist in search and rescue efforts.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the same day, saying that Türkiye is following the incident and hopes that Iranian President Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian and other Iranian officials are safe and healthy. Türkiye has taken action to provide support for the search and rescue operation, the statement said.
Iranian president's helicopter makes hard landing in NW province
