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

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

Sun said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Croatia have treated 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 in cooperation, growing people-to-people exchanges and deepening mutual understanding and friendship, said Sun. 

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

Noting that China and Croatia will celebrate the Year of Cultural Tourism and 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 China-CEEC cooperation. 

Plenkovic said that the Croatia-China relationship is at its 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 Chinese vice premier also met with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, and visited students and athletes from Beijing Sport University who are currently training there.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)