Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić have vowed to advance pragmatic cooperation between their countries.

In their meeting in Belgrade, Zhang reaffirmed China’s strategic and long-term stance on bilateral relations. His visit followed Premier Li Keqiang’s trip at the end of last year, when the two countries pledged more cooperation projects with each other.

China will host a meeting with Central and Eastern European leaders in Beijing later this year. The Serbian prime minister said he looks forward to the event, and spoke of Serbia’s active interest in the ‘Belt and Road’ connectivity projects initiated by China.

Vučić also welcomed Chinese companies to invest and set up operations in his country.

Serbia is the third leg of Zhang’s four-nation trip. His next and last stop is Kazakhstan.