ZAGREB — China is willing to further cooperation with Croatia through the Belt and Road Initiative and “16+1” mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, said Cao Jianming, vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, during his visit to Croatia.

Cao visited the southeastern European country from May 16 to May 19, during which he met with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and deputy speaker of Croatian parliament Zeljko Reiner.

According to Cao, Croatia is China’s good friend and partner in the European Union (EU), and the relations between the two countries have seen healthy and steady development in recent years.

He noted that over the years, the two countries had consolidated political trust and achieved significant results from major infrastructure project cooperation, as well as more frequent people-to-people and local exchanges.

Croatian officials also expressed their intention to enhance ties with China and to find common interests in the integration of the Belt and Road Initiative and the “Three Seas Initiative”, a joint idea proposed by Croatian and Polish presidents in order to strengthen ties among countries between the Black, Baltic and Adriatic Seas. It brings together 12 countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Balkans, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Austria.

Both sides agreed to further communication and cooperation between their legislative bodies, which in turn will contribute to the development of bilateral relations.