Xi, Vucic sign joint statement on building China-Serbia community with shared future

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making Serbia the first European country to reach such a consensus with China.

Xi and Vucic discussed the deepening cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the framework of China-Central and Eastern European countries. The two also exchanged views on international issues of common concern.

The two leaders hailed the rock solid friendship and fruitful cooperation in multiple sectors between the two countries, and reaffirmed their commitment to openness, fairness, and ensuring their people's well-being and their nations' prosperity.

Xi and Vucic reiterated mutual respect for each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. Serbia reaffirmed its support for the one-China principle, acknowledged Taiwan as an inseparable part of China and rejected any form of "Taiwan independence". Both sides opposed the imposition of any solutions on the status of Kosovo.

The leaders highlighted the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative and its new phase of high-quality development which includes deepening cooperation in finance, e-commerce, telecoms, and green development. They acknowledged the significance of the Hungary-Serbia railway in promoting connectivity.

They pledged to implement the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement and the Mid-term Action Plan for Belt and Road Cooperation.

They stressed the need to maintain the world order in accordance with the United Nations Charter, and uphold multilateralism with the United Nations at its core. They called for stronger international efforts for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of sectors from health to education, youth exchanges to disaster management and emergency response.

Xi is on a three-nation European tour from May 5 to 10, which has already taken him to France and Serbia. He is now visiting Hungary, the last leg of his tour.

Xi arrived in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, on Tuesday night.

Xi, Vucic sign joint statement on building China-Serbia community with shared future

Xi, Vucic sign joint statement on building China-Serbia community with shared future

China's Ministry of Commerce announced on Monday the inclusion of some companies on its unreliable entities list as they sold arms to China's Taiwan region.

The companies include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Boeing Defense, Space and Security. They will be barred from engaging in China-related import or export activities, and are forbidden to make new investments in China, the ministry said.

Senior executives of the companies are prohibited from entering China, while their work permits will be revoked, along with their visitor and residential status, and the related applications they submit will not be approved, according to the ministry.

"Such measures are being taken to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and development interests," it said.

The ministry also said there was evidence that Caplugs of the United States circumvented the unreliable entities list regulations by transferring goods purchased from China to the unreliable entities.

The ministry urged Caplugs to take measures as soon as possible to ensure that all relevant goods, technologies and services purchased from China are not transferred to the unreliable entities, and that relevant evidentiary material be submitted to the office of the unreliable entities list as per the working mechanism.

Otherwise, the ministry said, the office will take measures against it in accordance with the laws and regulations.

China adds some U.S. companies to unreliable entities list