Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo pledged on August 17 to boost all-round friendly cooperation with Serbia including defense cooperation.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, made the remarks when meeting with visiting Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac.

Wu recalled his visit to Belgrade last month, during which he attended a ceremony launching a project to build a bridge across the Danube with Chinese assistance.

"The launch of the project was a good start for further cooperation on large projects between the countries," he said.

Sutanovac said leaders of the two countries had reached a new important consensus in boosting bilateral cooperation in various areas during Wu's "historical" visit to Serbia.

Serbia always regards its relations with China as a priority, he said, vowing joint efforts with China to fulfill consensuses reached by state leaders, and to step up cooperation between the two militaries and two countries as a whole.

Hailing the progress of bilateral ties over the years, Wu said China highly values its ties with Serbia, and is ready to cement all-round cooperation with the country including defense cooperation so as to further promote the bilateral strategic partnership.

The Serbian defense minister also offered his condolences to the government and people of China over the devastating mudslides in China's northwest Gansu Province.