On the afternoon of August 28, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang met in Nanjing with Parliament Speaker Josip Leko of Croatia, who came to China to attend the closing ceremony of the second Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Li Keqiang said that China regards Croatia as a reliable good friend and good partner in the European Union (EU) and among the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). China is willing to make joint efforts with Croatia to combine Croatia’s relatively large demands in such fields as infrastructure construction and transportation with China’s advantageous productive capabilities in the areas including equipment manufacturing industry, so as to open up new vistas for economic and trade cooperation. China is also willing to strengthen parliamentary exchanges, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and consolidate traditional friendship with Croatia, so as to promote the development of the China-Croatia comprehensive cooperative partnership.

Li Keqiang pointed out that China-CEEC cooperation is conducive not only to promoting the bilateral relations, but also to enriching the connotations of China-Europe relations, and is helpful to promote a more comprehensive and balanced development of China-Europe relations. China hopes that Croatia will play a greater role in the development of China-Europe relations and in China-CEEC cooperation.

Leko said that China has always stuck to the principle that all countries, big or small, are equal, and has played an important role in international affairs. Croatia and China enjoy long-term friendship. Croatia is willing to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with China in various fields and promote long-term and stable development of Croatia-China relations. Croatia will play a positive role in the development of Europe-China relations and in CEEC-China cooperation.

Yang Jing was present at the meeting.