On February 18, 2020, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to Zoran Milanovic on his assumption as the new President of Croatia.

Xi Jinping noted in his letter, China and Croatia enjoy strong political mutual trust, fruitful results in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and sound cooperation within the framework of cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). Croatia, the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), is China's good friend in the EU. I attach great importance to the development of China-Croatia relations, and I am willing to work with President Zoran Milanovic to deepen bilateral friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and make new contributions to China-CEEC cooperation and the development of China-EU relations.