Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan are greeted by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and his wife upon their arrival at the airport of Belgrade, Serbia, June 17, 2016. Xi started a state visit to Serbia Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping arrived in Belgrade, Serbia, on Friday to kick off his three-nation tour of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Serbia was the first Central and Eastern European country to forge a strategic partnership with China, and the Serbian people have shown sincere and lasting friendship and respect to Chinese people. Serbia also harbors great enthusiasm for China's Belt and Road Initiative.

However, what makes this nation "somewhat unusual" is that it is the only Central and East European country that has not applied to join NATO.

Belgrade was an important outpost via which China observed the outside world as early as in the 1970s, and hearing its name Chinese people are reminded of the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade by NATO on May 8, 1999.

It is also not a member of the European Union, which means Serbia can decide for itself about developing ties with China.

China and Serbia are different in size and geographically far apart. But mutual benefits are linking up the two countries despite the huge distance. And if China and Serbia achieve a success furthering their bilateral cooperation, it will have remarkable demonstration effects.

Serbia's sound economic and cultural foundations and its enthusiasm for Belt and Road Initiative mean it can play a positive role in China's effort to push for such a strategy with countries over a broader region.

Globalization has given Serbia a chance to get so close to China. At the same time, Serbia has also become a foothold for China to further engage with Europe. All these mean China and Serbia should cherish developing closer ties.

-Global Times Chinese Edition