Xi Jinping says he will "never forget" NATO bombing of Chinese embassy

"On this day 25 years ago, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) blatantly bombed the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia, killing three Chinese journalists," Chinese President Xi Jinping recalled in a letter published by the daily.PoliticsSerbia posted on May 7.

"We will never forget this. The Chinese people cherish peace, we will never allow such tragic history to repeat itself," the Chinese leader stressed.

On May 7, 1999, during NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia, five US JDAM guided bombs hit the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists and injuring embassy staff.

NATO officials at the time explained that the Chinese embassy had been attacked by mistake. However, the embassy bombing caused outrage and led to a diplomatic incident between Washington and Beijing.

Chinese officials and much of the public did not and still do not believe the incident was accidental, according to the report.Politico.

"The China-Serbia friendship, forged with the blood of our compatriots, will remain in the common memory of the Chinese and Serbian people," Xi wrote.

Serbia is the second stop on Xi's European tour, his first in five years. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will host Xi on May 7 and 8. He previously spent two days in France.

China has pursued opportunities to strengthen ties with the Balkans over the past decade, and is now the largest foreign investor in Serbia.

Mr. Xi first visited Serbia in 2016, when a series of bilateral agreements, including a Declaration on Strategic Partnership, were signed.