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Guests pose for a group photo during a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Novi Sad, in Novi Sad, Serbia, on May 24, 2019. Students of the Confucius Institute at the University of Novi Sad demonstrated their language skills and arts at a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the institute on Friday. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

NOVI SAD, Serbia, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Students of the Confucius institute at the University of Novi Sad demonstrated their language skills and arts at a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the institute on Friday.

The students were also presented with diplomas of the Chinese Proficiency Test, also known as HSK.

The celebration at the University of Novi Sad was attended by officials of Serbia's province of Vojvodina, representatives of the institute, Chinese universities, embassy as well as students.

The audience was greeted by a group of kindergarteners who sang two songs -- in Chinese and Serbian.

Chinese director of the Confucius institute, Chen Hui, said that the institute developed "from a baby into a child" and thanked Serbian educational institutions for their cooperation during the last five years.

"Along with the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, the traditional friendship between China and Serbia is getting stronger, while cooperation in all fields is getting deeper. Young people who now learn Chinese will become the new strength in the friendly exchange between Serbia and China," Chen said.

Representatives of the Vojvodina provincial government congratulated the anniversary to the institute, assuring that they will continue to promote cooperation between the Confucius Institute and educational institutions in Vojvodina.

"The institute brought immense benefit to the exchange between our two cultures and traditions through Chinese language courses and other precious Chinese traditional arts," said Milan Kovacevic, deputy provincial secretary for education.

"Confucius institute at the University in Novi Sad is the second such institute in Serbia and for five years it has been strengthening cultural and educational exchange between our countries, as well as the exchange and partnership between universities," said Dusica Rakic, deputy provincial secretary for high education.

At the end of the ceremony, Chen Hui and Serbian director Ivana Zivancevic Sekerus handed HSK diplomas to students.