Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he was "deeply moved" in receiving China's Friendship Medal during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, emphasizing the close ties and mutual respect between Serbia and China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China 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 in respect. A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid the ceremony, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.
Representatives from both countries attended the event, including faculty members and students from leading Beijing universities.
"Serbians and Chinese people are very similar in many ways. We both value family, friendship and loyalty. Honesty and sincerity mean a lot in friendship," said Peng Yuchao, a teacher from the Beijing Foreign Studies University and a recent recipient of Serbia's Gold Medal for Merit.
"Receiving such an honor is incredible. I was very moved. I find it is very easy to call China home, to fit in here. I think culturally we are very similar in that sense - we're very friendly and open. Look at the new quality productive forces in that area, and if we try to combine them with the 2035 program that President Vucic has put forward, [we can] try to match and find a common area for development there," said Jelena Stefanovic, director of the Representative Office of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China.
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 rest of the world, and safeguarding world peace.
"There is a Chinese phrase - 'So happy as to weep' - which means that even a man can shed tears at a moment of great happiness. When I heard President Xi would personally present me with the Friendship Medal, tears welled up in my eyes. It's hard to imagine. This is one of the most important moments of my life. Thank you, President Xi, for this recognition. I will continue to devote myself to the future development of Serbia-China ties and further building of the Serbia-China community with a shared future," said Vucic in his acceptance speech.
At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.
'Deeply moved' as Xi awards Friendship Medal: Vucic
