China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday, with both sides pledging to deepen pragmatic cooperation, especially between the two countries' legislative bodies.
Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said over the past 75 years since China and Slovakia established diplomatic relationship, bilateral relations have developed steadily and traditional friendship has grown even stronger.
China is willing to work with Slovakia to build a solid political foundation, expand Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges, so as to push China-Slovakia relations to a higher level, he said.
Zhao said the NPC stands ready to deepen exchanges at all levels and in all fields with the Slovak parliament, strengthen exchanges of governance experience, and provide policy support and legal guarantees for practical cooperation between the two countries.
Fico said Slovakia attaches great importance to its relations with China and upholds the one-China principle.
Slovakia is willing to further enhance bilateral cooperation, promote and deepen exchanges between the two legislative bodies to serve the development of both sides, and deliver benefits to the people of the two countries, he said.
Fico is on an official visit to China from Oct 31 to Nov 5.
China's top legislator meets Slovak PM
Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.
As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.
Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.
A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.
Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.
"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.
The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.
At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.
Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal
