China, Croatia vow mutual support, to expand ties
Updated: 2012-05-20 20:34
By ZHAO YINAN in Zagreb (chinadaily.com.cn)
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Wu Bangguo, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the nation’s top legislative body, shakes hands with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic in Zagreb, May 19, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]
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Visiting top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo praised the support between the two countries on issues including territorial integrity, national security, stability and development, and he urged that both coordinate their stance on international and regional affairs.
Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said at the reception that his country expects to expand its ties with China and undertake pragmatic cooperation.
At the reception commemorating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties being established between the two countries, Wu also called attention to bilateral trade and economic exchanges in boosting relations.
Wu, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the nation’s top legislative body, is on a six-day visit to the Balkan country, and has met with Josipovic, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and Speaker of Parliament Boris Sprem.
Saying the two countries have many opportunities to cooperate in industries such as infrastructure construction, mutual investment and tourism, Wu called upon the Chinese government to continue its support for domestic companies to invest in Croatia, especially in harbor, railway and power station construction .
Wu said Croatia has a superior geographic position and a wealth of forest and water resources. He said the two countries, which have a sound industrial basis of tourism, shipbuilding and medicines, are complementary, adding that Croatia will become an attractive destination for China’s overseas investment
“Both should make full use of established cooperative trade committees to improve overall planning and expand exchanges,” he said.
Wu urged that both work toward a breakthrough in fundraising for potential investment.
China announced a $10 billion credit line for Central and Eastern Europe in late April to support cooperative projects in the region’s infrastructure. China has also announced plans for a $500 million fund to help Chinese business ventures take root in the region.
“Croatia should seize this opportunity to initiate several landmark cooperative projects and thus accumulate experience little by little and expand cooperation,” he said.
The six-day tour, which started on Wednesday, marks Wu’s first time to visit Croatia.
Calling for more economic exchanges in the future, Wu stressed that political trust will always be fundamental to developing bilateral relations, and he expressed the Chinese government’s appreciation for Croatia’s adherence to the one-China policy and its support in crucial issues such as Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.
He said Sino-Croatian relations have been elevated to a new chapter, after a comprehensive cooperative partnership was established between the two countries in 2005, followed by President Hu Jintao’s visit to the country in 2009.
Croatia is now China’s largest trade partner in southeastern Europe. In 2011, trade between the two surpassed $1.6 billion.
Chinese tourism in Croatia increased to more than 22,000 visits in 2011, almost doubled that of 2010, according to statistics provided by the Chinese embassy.
Croatia, now at the threshold of the European Union, will become another “reliable” friend of China in the Union, experts said.
Croatia is the second leg of Wu’s four-nation European tour, which will also take him to Luxemburg and Spain. Before this, he paid a three-day visit to the Netherlands.
zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn
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