Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the good relations between the People's Republic and Serbia, describing it as an "ironclad friendship" during his visit to Belgrade on Wednesday.
Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić signed a "Joint Declaration on Deepening and Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Serbian state television channel RTS reported.
"We are lucky that we have always had a friend in the People's Republic of China," Vučić said afterwards.
The red carpet was rolled out in front of the Serbian presidential palace for the high-profile talks.
A large number of people cheered for Xi and Vučić as they entered the Serbian president's official residence. The independent news portal nova.rs wrote they had arrived there by bus from all parts of Serbia.
Before arriving in Belgrade on Tuesday evening, a Serbian Air Force fighter squadron had accompanied Xi's plane as it entered Serbian airspace, the state news agency Tanjug reported.
There, 3,400 police officers ensured the safety of the distinguished guest, who arrived at the head of a 400-strong delegation.
The delegations also signed 28 intergovernmental agreements and memoranda. They include cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, trade, science, environmental protection, technology, culture, sport and information technology.
Serbia has maintained particularly close relations with China for decades. These have deepened under Vučić, who has held various political positions in the Balkan country since 2012.
Xi arrived in Belgrade from France. He had recently visited the French Pyrenees as a guest of President Emmanuel Macron.
On Wednesday evening, Xi plans to travel on to Budapest, where Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expecting him for talks.