Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic greeted Chinese doctors who arrived in Serbia on Saturday, kissing the Chinese flag in a show of gratitude for the country's timely support against COVID-19.

"The arrival of Chinese health professionals is of great importance to us because they were the first to defeat the great enemy of today: COVID-19," Vucic said.

"Everything on this plane is free-of-charge assistance, a donation from the People's Republic of China. We should thank them with all our hearts, they have proven to be great friends of Serbia and Serbs," he added.

Serbia's largest aircraft, an Airbus A330, landed in from China with the largest shipment of aid to Serbia which includes medical devices, such as respirators, face masks, anti-microbial medical gowns, and security equipment, as well as six Chinese experts.

The medical aid packages that came from China read in Chinese language and in Cyrillic: "The friendship of steel, we share weal and woe!" with a heart that had the flag of Serbia on one side, and the flag of China on the other.

Chinese President Xi said in a letter received by Serbian President Vucic that China supports Serbia's efforts to fight the coronavirus and will provide the country with material and medical assistance, provide support in procuring essential goods from China, as well as professional assistance.

China's ambassador to Belgrade, Chen Bo, said the aid was a sign of the "iron friendship" between the two countries.

"They (the Chinese doctors) have come from the frontlines of China's fight against the virus. And right away, they came to Serbia to the new frontline. Please allow me to express high respect and gratitude to them in the name of all the Chinese citizens who live and work in Serbia," the ambassador said.