President Xi Jinping called for greater cooperation with Serbia on artificial intelligence, energy, and infrastructure during talks with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic on Monday.

Vucic is the latest in a string of foreign leaders to visit Beijing in recent months.

Serbia has maintained close ties to Beijing and benefited from a boom in Chinese investment over the past decade.

"The two sides should increase cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green energy, and advanced manufacturing," Xi said during talks with Vucic at the Great Hall of the People.

The two countries should cooperate on transportation and energy infrastructure through the nation's Belt and Road Initiative, he added.

Xi also called for genuine multilateralism in the face of turmoil in international affairs.

The two signed a slew of bilateral agreements on trade, technology, and education, and released joint statements.

China is among Serbia's top five investors, and Chinese projects currently underway include Belgrade's metro system, a major road tunnel in the city and several bridges, according to Serbia's finance ministry.

Xi also awarded Vucic China's friendship medal, in a sign of their close ties. (AFP)

Edited by Aaron Tam