Xi wrote in the Serbian daily Politika ahead of a visit to the Serbian capital, Belgrade, which will be the next stop on his first tour of Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic, later on Tuesday.
His visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of a bombing by the military alliance blamed on a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) mapping error that killed three people.
“25 years ago today, NATO brazenly bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia and killed three Chinese journalists,” Xi wrote in Politika newspaper. – We should never forget that. The Chinese people cherish peace, but we will never allow such a tragic history to repeat itself.”
He also hailed the “steel-strength friendship” between China and Serbia, which he said was “forged with the blood of our countrymen.”
Xi is due to arrive in Belgrade on Tuesday evening after a state visit to France that has seen sometimes heated talks with President Emmanuel Macron on a range of topics including the war in Ukraine.
The other two stops of his visit in Europe – Serbia and Hungary – are considered to be among the most favorable European countries towards Moscow.
China has poured billions into Serbia and neighboring Balkan countries, particularly in the mining and manufacturing sectors, and Beijing and Belgrade signed a free trade agreement last year.
