The ministry said in a statement that Bozidar Djelic, Serbia's deputy prime minister for EU integration and minister of science and technological development, would sign the agreement on behalf of the Serbian government.

Djelic was on a working visit to China from April 6 to 11, said the statement, adding that he would visit Shanghai and Hangzhou in addition to Beijing.

Ren Yi, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Serbia, said that Djelic arrived in Beijing on Monday and would have talks with Chinese officials on Tuesday.

He said that the agreement to be signed is the first of its kind between the two countries.

Serbia declared its independence on June 5, 2006, two days after Montenegro's formal independence from a loose state union with Serbia. Serbia, Montenegro and four other republics constitute the former Yugoslav Federation, with which China signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in December 1956.