Chinese FM calls for closer cooperation with Croatia

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Vesna Pusic during their meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 5, 2013. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Vesna Pusic on Tuesday, calling for closer cooperation with the newest EU member state.

Wang said China and Croatia enjoy broad prospect for mutually beneficial cooperation, as Croatia occupies important geographical position with great demand for infrastructure construction as well as abundant tourism resources.

China attaches great importance to the relations with Europe, said Wang, expressing the hope that Croatia could inject new vitality to the relations as an EU member state.

Pusic, who is also minister for foreign and European affairs, said it is a foreign policy priority of Croatia to develop relations with China.

She called for more cooperation with China in areas such as economic and trade, tourism, culture and education, adding that Croatia is willing to push forward cooperation between China and central and eastern European countries.

Croatia is the second of six former Yugoslavian member states to join the European Union in July, after a 12-year negotiation process.