President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that the Chinese people have a long-cherished special friendship with Serbia and are ready to collaborate with the Serbian people to establish a community with a shared future between the two nations.

Xi made the remarks during a welcoming banquet hosted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his wife, as part of Xi's state visit to Serbia, the second stop on his three-nation trip to Europe.

Divided between East and West, Serbia is a Balkan country at the crossroads of Southeast and Central Europe. For thousands of years, different civilizations from the Eurasian continent have met and affected each other in Serbia.

This has helped foster the diligent, kind and resilient character of the Serbian people, Xi said.

Now, under the guidance of Vucic, the Serbian government and people are forging ahead with impressive achievements in socioeconomic development, improving people's well-being, and more, he said.

Xi said that as the confidence and national pride of the Serbian people continue to rise, it is believed that Serbia will embrace bright and broad prospects in the country's development and national rejuvenation.

According to the Chinese president, the old Yugoslav film "The Bridge" and the Serbian song "Goodbye My Friends", which stirred people's patriotic sentiment and anti-fascist spirit, are very popular in China. Xi also mentioned that they accompanied him in his youth.

Prominent figures from Serbian sports and cultural circles, such as tennis star Novak Djokovic, are also well-known in China, he said.

Xi hailed the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Serbia as a vivid example of building a community with a shared future for mankind, citing its vitality and fruitful results.

After the two heads of state announced on Wednesday their decision to build a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, Xi stated that the bilateral relationship has taken a great leap in history and is now facing valuable opportunities and bright prospects from this new vantage point.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn