ZAGREB — China and Croatia said on Nov 23 that they will enhance cultural exchanges and further promote the relations between China and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

The remarks were made during a meeting between visiting Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Sun said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Croatia have been treating each other equally, with mutual respect and mutual trust, and have witnessed steady progress in bilateral ties and practical cooperation.

Led by such mechanisms as the Belt and Road Initiative, China-EU cooperation and 16+1 Cooperation, the two countries have seen comprehensive expansion of cooperation, growing people-to-people exchanges and deepening mutual understanding and friendship, said Sun.

The 16+1 Cooperation refers to a framework comprising 16 CEE countries and China.

She hoped that the two countries can further consolidate the popular support for future relations through increasing cooperation in education, health, sports, culture and tourism, among others.

Noting that China and Croatia will celebrate the Year of Cultural Tourism and that of 16+1 Education and Youth Exchanges in 2019, Sun said that China stands ready to work with Croatia to plan and successfully hold various cultural tourism activities, and cement cooperation on education and youth exchanges so as to strengthen the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties as well as the China-CEEC cooperation.

Plenkovic said that Croatia-China relationship is at the best period in history, with broad potential for all-around cooperation.

He added that the Croatian side is willing to seize the opportunity of hosting the next China-CEEC leaders’ meeting and the Croatia-China Cultural Tourism Year to advance bilateral practical cooperation in various fields and inject new impetus in their comprehensive cooperative partnership.

During her stay in Croatia, the vice-premier also met with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, and visited students and sportsmen from Beijing Sport University who are now receiving training in Croatia.