On January 19, 2023, Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li held a political consultation at vice-foreign ministerial level between China and Slovenia with State Secretary of Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Samuel Žbogar in Beijing.

Deng Li said that over the past 31 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Slovenia, in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust, have constantly enhanced friendship and achieved fruitful results in cooperation. Not long ago, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China successfully convened, drawing a grand blueprint for promoting national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. China, with its new development, will bring more new opportunities to China-Slovenia cooperation. Both sides should continue to accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns, strengthen high-level exchanges, and enhance practical cooperation, in particular expanding and deepening cooperation in such fields as pharmacy, home appliances, light plane manufacturing and sports. Both sides should jointly deepen and substantiate the Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEEC Cooperation) to inject new impetus into cooperation. China advocates practicing true multilateralism, and believes that China and Slovenia should strengthen communication and coordination in multilateral fields and safeguard basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. There is no conflict of fundamental interests between China and the European Union (EU). When Europe remains prosperous, China stands to benefit, and the EU should form a right perception of China. Both sides should keep cooperation stable to respond to the uncertainties of the world situation, and jointly contribute to world peace and development. China hopes that Slovenia, as a member state of the EU, plays a constructive role in promoting steady and sound development of China-EU relations.

Žbogar said that Slovenia admires China’s extraordinary achievements, and appreciates China’s important role in international affairs. The new Slovenian government attaches great importance to developing Slovenia-China relations, and will remain committed to the one-China principle, strengthening high-level exchanges and deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, and will actively participate in various activities within the framework of China-CEEC Cooperation mechanism. Slovenia hopes to be supported by China and stands ready to participate in affairs of multilateral institutions more actively and enhance communication and cooperation with China in multilateral institutions. Slovenia is glad to see that the EU and China focus more on consensus and join hands in responding to global challenges, and is ready to play a positive role in it.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and other regional and international hotspot issues.