The award is the highest honor bestowed by China upon foreign dignitaries for their contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation with the Asian nation.

Previously, the two leaders held official talks at the Great Hall of the People and presided over the signing of cooperation agreements.

The visiting president also laid a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square.

Serbia is a key partner of China in the Belt and Road Initiative, with several agreements including a memorandum of understanding to boost construction, a bilateral cooperation plan, a medium-term action plan, and a bilateral free trade agreement.

Among the main projects included in this framework are the Hungary-Serbia railway and the Fruska Gora Corridor project.

In 2025, bilateral trade reached US$6.49 billion, representing a 13% increase over the previous year.

Exports from China to Serbia amounted to US$4.1 billion, while imports from Serbia exceeded US$2.3 billion.

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