習近平出席塞爾維亞總統武契奇舉行的歡迎宴會

當地時間5月8日中午，國家主席習近平和夫人彭麗媛出席塞爾維亞總統武契奇和夫人在貝爾格萊德塞爾維亞大廈舉行的歡迎宴會。這是習近平發表祝酒辭。新華社記者 龐興雷 攝

新華社貝爾格萊德5月8日電（記者孫奕 史霄萌）當地時間5月8日中午，國家主席習近平和夫人彭麗媛出席塞爾維亞總統武契奇和夫人在貝爾格萊德塞爾維亞大廈舉行的歡迎宴會。

在熱烈的掌聲中，習近平發表祝酒辭。

習近平指出，塞爾維亞位於“東方之西方，西方之東方”，素來享有“巴爾幹之鑰”的美譽。千百年來，歐亞大陸多元文明在這裡交融碰撞，造就了塞爾維亞民族勤勞善良、堅毅不屈的品格。當前，在武契奇總統帶領下，塞爾維亞政府和人民奮發進取，在經濟社會建設和民生改善等領域取得驕人成績，民族自信心和自豪感不斷提升，國家發展和民族振興迎來光明而廣闊的前景。

習近平強調，中國人民對塞爾維亞素來懷有特殊友好感情，南斯拉伕電影《橋》、歌曲《啊，朋友再見》在中國廣為流傳，激蕩著人們的愛國主義情懷和反法西斯精神，也伴我度過了青年時代。德約科維奇、約基奇、庫斯圖裏察等塞爾維亞體育界、文化界著名人士在中國家喻戶曉。近年來，中塞高品質共建“一帶一路”動力強勁、成果豐碩，成為構建人類命運共同體的生動實踐。

習近平指出，剛才，我同武契奇總統舉行了全面而深入的會談，達成許多重要共識。我們共同簽署聯合聲明，宣佈構建新時代中塞命運共同體，實現了中塞關係新的偉大歷史跨越。今天，中塞關係正站在嶄新的起點上，面臨寶貴機遇和光明前景。中方願同友好的塞爾維亞人民一道努力，為新時代中塞命運共同體建設不斷奮鬥！

蔡奇、王毅等出席。

Xi says he enjoys Yugoslav films, songs when young

Chinese President Xi Jinping makes a toast during a welcoming banquet held by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Madame Tamara Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, May 8, 2024. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan attended the welcoming banquet on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BELGRADE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping shared his special bond with the Serbian people on Wednesday, saying he enjoyed Yugoslav films and songs when he was young.

"The Yugoslav film The Bridge and the song Bella Ciao, which evoke strong patriotic and anti-Fascism sentiments, have been immensely popular in China through the years and became my companion in my youthful days," Xi said when attending a welcome banquet held by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The Chinese people have always cherished a special bond of friendship with Serbia, he said, adding that Serbian athletes Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic, and movie director Emir Kusturica are household names in China.

Xi pointed out that Serbia, located on "the west of the East, and east of the West," has long been known as "the gateway to the Balkans."

For centuries, this land has been a meeting place of diverse civilizations on the Eurasian continent, which in many ways shaped the diligent, kind, and unyielding character of the Serbian people, he said.

During a joint press conference with Vucic on Wednesday afternoon, Xi mentioned the warm greetings he had received in the country. On Tuesday evening, upon Xi's arrival, Vucic and his wife, leading a delegation of senior Serbian officials, went to the airport to greet him and his wife in person, which was very touching, Xi said.

Prior to their meeting, Vucic accompanied Xi to the platform of the Palace of Serbia. On the square in front of the Palace, some 15,000 Serbian people were waving national flags of China and Serbia to express the warmest welcome to Xi. The Chinese leader waved to the crowd, which burst into jubilant, prolonged applause and cheers.

Later in his meeting with Vucic, Xi said that he was deeply touched when he was greeted at the airport by President Vucic together with many senior government officials who held a grand welcoming ceremony for his visit.

He also said he was deeply moved by the genuine friendliness toward China from the Serbian people who are good friends of the Chinese people.

In a signed article published prior to his arrival in Serbia, he said "There has always been an affinity between Chinese and Serbian peoples despite the long distance between us."

"During the bitter Anti-Fascist War and our respective nation-building in the last century, the Chinese and Serbian peoples forged a strong friendship that extends through time and space," said the article.