1. Chinese enterprise successfully won the bid for the Pelješac Bridge project, and Vice Chairman of NPC Cao Jianming visited the construction site.
On January 12th, the China Road and Bridge Corporation won the bid for the Pelješac Bridge project in Croatia. The project is a strategic infrastructure construction project in Croatia, which will connect the north and south of the country after it finishes. This is also the largest cooperation project between China and Croatia in recent 26 years. During his visit to Croatia in May, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, Cao Jianming, visited the Pelješac Bridge site, and encouraged the enterprises of the two countries to build the bridge on schedule with high quality and make it become a demonstration project of pragmatic cooperation between two countries.
2. The Happy Chinese New Year event was successfully held in Croatia, and "China Red" was lit up in Zagreb to attract a lot of attention.
In 2018, the "Happy Chinese New Year" event– "Nuo and Love" dance performance was successfully held in Croatia's nation-top theater of art - National Theatre in Zagreb and the Gervais Cultural Center of the seaside city Opatija. Croatian Minister of Culture Nina Obuljen Koržinek, former President Stjepan Mesić and many overseas Chinese in Croatia attended the show. To welcome the Chinese New Year, the Zagreb landmark "fountain square" was first put on with "China Red". At night, the red spotlights and the lanterns were lit at the same time, the five-star red flag pattern was projected on the fountain water curtain, and the red light was lingering, all of which was extraordinarily spectacular.
3. The first poll of public opinion on Sino-Croatia relations was held in history, and the public support for the bilateral relationship was more than expected.
The Chinese Embassy in Croatia entrusted a well-known polling institute to hold a public opinion survey on Sino-Croatia relations. The survey report was officially released on March 6, and showed that the Croatian people had very good impression of China's. They paid close attention to China's development and were very optimistic about China's future. 89% of Croats believed that China was a friendly country, 85% of them regarded China as a reliable partner, and 86% supported China to increase investment in Croatia.
4. Croatia allows third-country citizens to obtain tour guide certificates. The first group of overseas Chinese who have obtained the official tour guide certificates are very proud.
On April 11, with joint efforts by the Chinese Embassy in Croatia and the Ministry of Tourism of Croatia, the first group of 16 Chinese-speaking tour guides obtained official tour guide certificates. This was the first time that non-EU citizens had obtained qualification for tour guide. With the in-depth development of China-Croatia friendly cooperation, the personnel exchange between the two countries have experienced remarkable growth. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Croatia last year has increased by nearly 60%. The golden age of China-Croatia tourism cooperation is coming.
5. Croatia will host the next 16+1 Summit, and the development of China-Croatia relations gain a new opportunity.
On July 7, the summit of China-Central and Eastern European countries leaders in Sofia announced that Croatia will host the next 16+1 Summit. The active participation in the 16+1 cooperation and the comprehensive development of China-Croatia relations are the main reasons for Croatia to become the host country of next 16+1 Summit. To host the next 16+1 Summit not only promotes Croatian economic development, but also marks that China-Croatia relations are surpassing the bilateral scope and will exert greater influence at the regional and international levels.
6. China and Croatia launched the first joint police patrol in tourism season, the Chinese police showed a positive image.
From July 15 to August 14, the first joint police patrol in tourism season was successfully held in Croatia. The 6 Chinese policemen worked closely together with Croatian counterparts, earnestly performed their duties and played an active role in enhancing the sense of safety of Chinese tourists, safeguarding the legitimate rights of overseas Chinese and promoting the cooperation with Croatian police in law enforcement. The launching ceremony of the joint police patrol was held in the central square of the old city of Dubrovnik, the world-famous tourist city by the Adriatic Sea. It attracted many tourists to stop and watch.
7. 16+1 high-level meeting on tourism cooperation was held in Croatia, and preparations for the China-Croatia Year of Culture and Tourism kicked off.
From September 18th to 20, the fourth 16+1 high-level meeting on tourism cooperation was held in Dubrovnik. Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Luo Shugang and Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli respectively read the congratulatory letters from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to the meeting. The participants signed the "Joint Statement of the fourth 16+1 high-level meeting on tourism Cooperation". China and Croatia also signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia, and launched the planning and preparation for the China-Croatia Year of Culture and Tourism in 2019.
8. The Croatian Prime Minister attended the first China International Import Expo, which marked the first time for Prime Minister of Croatia to visit China in 13 years.
In early November, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic went to China to attend the first China International Import Expo and visited Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai. During his stay in China, Prime Minister Plenkovic had a cordial conversation with President Xi Jinping and held a formal meeting with Premier Li Keqiang. Prime Minister Plenkovic said that the China Import Expo is a window to understand China in the new era and an excellent opportunity for Croatia to seek economic and trade cooperation with China. This is the first visit of Croatian Prime Minister to China in recent 13 years. It has achieved great success and opened a new chapter in China-Croatia relations.
9. China's largest investment project in Croatia officially started, and the private investment from China to Croatia achieved breakthrough.
On November 20, the groundbreaking ceremony for Senj wind farm project was held. This was the largest investment project undertaken by China's Norinco International Corporation. In his speech, Prime Minister Plenkovic said that he is very pleased to witness the whole process of China's largest investment project from signing to starting working. This project was the latest example of the great progress of the Croatia-China economic and trade cooperation. Previously, China Aoyuan Group acquired 75% of the shares of Zadar cargo terminal, which indicated the Chinese private enterprise achieved an investment breakthrough in Croatia. On December 19, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Croatia was formally established, which would help deepen the economic and trade relations between the two countries.
10. Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan paid an official visit to Croatia, and the people-to-people cooperation between China and Croatia was comprehensively improved.
From November 21 to 24, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan paid an official visit to Croatia. During her visit, Sun met with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Pejcinovic Buric. They exchanged in-depth views on cooperation in education, health, sports, culture and tourism. Sun Chunlan also visited football, basketball, handball players and students from Beijing Sports University who are being trained in Croatia. This visit has played an important role in promoting the comprehensive and in-depth development of China-Croatia people-to-people cooperation.