Xi's visit to Serbia will be the first by a Chinese head of state since Serbia's independence in June 2006. In August 2013, Xi held talks in Beijing with visiting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, during which the two presidents exchanged in-depth views on cooperation.

On May 30, Nikolic told a Chinese delegation led by Li Wei, head of the Development Research Center of China's State Council, that Serbia can be a pillar for China in Europe and its significant partner for the future, according to a statement released by the Serbian presidential media office.

Nikolic called a recent agreement on the Smederevo steel mill significant and said the arrival of Chinese partners in the Serbian meat industry will revive Serbia's rural regions and encourage people to return there after seeking a better life in cities.

In November, Polish President Andrzej Duda made a state visit to China, during which Xi announced that China will explore a new logistics corridor to reach Central and Eastern Europe through Poland.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on May 23, while visiting Uzbekistan, that China is willing to work with the nation to boost the two countries' strategic partnership and open up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation.