27.03.2020.

Minister Vulin: Steel friendships are made in difficult times

In the most difficult time for our country, during the NATO aggression, the Chinese people stood by us, the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said today after he, along with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Belgrade, Chen Bo, and a team of Chinese medical experts who came to Serbia to provide assistance in the fight against coronavirus, laid wreaths at the memorial plaque in front of the former Chinese embassy building in Belgrade, bombed in 1999 during NATO aggression.

Minister Vulin said that all those who gave their lives defending Serbia's right to be free, but also defending international law are being commemorated today. Just like in 1999, the Serbian and Chinese people are together again, fighting an invisible enemy.

- The citizens of Serbia know that the Chinese people are our great friends and that steel friendships are made in difficult times - Minister Vulin emphasized, thanking the Chinese people, President Xi Jinping, the Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, General Zhang Youxia, the Minister of Defence, Wei Fenghe, for being there for Serbia, even at times when they themselves face the same troubles and adversity.

The Chinese Ambassador, Chen Bo, reiterated that the history of relations between the two countries shows that Serbia and China are friends made of steel and that this means sharing both good and evil. She says that at times when we face great challenges, we need to stick together and help one another.

During the bombing of the Chinese Embassy on 7th May, 1999, three Chinese journalists were killed and 21 people were injured.