Serbian President Boris Tadic calls China a very important economy in the world with great potential for development.

Tadic also said in an interview with Xinhua on the eve of his visit to China that Serbia is extremely interested in further deepening economic cooperation with Beijing.

"During my visit, Serbia and China will sign an agreement of partnership, which is a result of longtime efforts on both sides and a manifestation of good political relations between the two countries," Tadic said.

Tadic, at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, will pay a state visit to China on Aug. 19-25. It will be the first official visit of its kind since Serbia gained independence in 2006.

Tadic visited China in 2005 when Serbia was part of a union with Montenegro. He also attended the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics last August as a guest of the Serbian Olympic Committee.

Tadic said that Serbia and China have a good traditional friendship without any outstanding historical burdens.

The two countries, he said, would find common ground for better cooperation because all countries in the world have been affected by the ongoing economic crisis.

The president expressed confidence that during his visit the two sides would reach agreements in the economic field and find new areas of cooperation.

Tadic hailed the mutual understanding and support between the two countries in the international political arena. He said the two countries can build stronger economic ties on the basis of good political relations.

Tadic said that people have realized that the world's development could not last without China's growth. He said he also had a feeling that China has attached great importance to social development.

Like many countries, China has encountered significant difficulties during its development but has overcome them in a good way, he said. Tadic said, too, that, he believed China has the potential for even greater development in the future.

Tadic said he has visited Dalian, a city in northeastern China that has undergone fast development in recent years, but has never been to Shanghai.

"During my visit, I will have the chance to visit Shanghai. I believe that where I go in Shanghai, I am sure to feel the achievements of China's fast development," he said.

Tadic said that joining the EU is Serbia's main strategic goal, which he expects will be realized in the next five years.

As long as Serbia joins the EU, Tadic said, China would have another close friend in the pan-European bloc.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2009)