CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
As a homeland of Marco Polo,
Croatia embraces One Belt,
One Road initiative
One Belt One Road Initiative
big contribution has been made by
ties between China, India, Persia,
is the initiative to activate and
the great explorer Marko Polo who
Arabia, Greece, Rome and
strengthen modern trade routes
was born on the Croatian island
Mediterranean countries. It reached
of Silk Road Economic Belt and
of Korcula. In this light Croatia,
its height during the Tang Dynasty,
Maritime Silk Road with the hope
with its own geostrategic position,
but declined in the Yuan dynasty,
to rejuvenate and open up markets
could have a significant role in
established by the Mongol Empire,
within the regions which are parts of
this modern initiative of the 21
st
as political powers along the route
the route.
century.
became more fragmented. The
The “One Belt, One Road”
The Silk Road was a network of
Silk Road ceased to be a shipping
initiative, proposed by President Xi
trade routes, formally established
route for silk around 1453 with the
Jinping, has attracted wide interest
during the Han Dynasty. The road
rise of the Ottoman Empire, whose
among the political and economic
originated from Chang'an (now
rulers opposed the West. Now it is
circles worldwide. It has been
Xian) in the east and ended in the
time to rebuild it.
recognized both as a development
Mediterranean in the West, linking
As the homeland of Marco Polo,
strategy and broad platform to
China with the Roman Empire.
it is somehow natural that Croatia
foster investment and improve
As China’s silk was the major
has embraced the initiatives such
connectivity throughout land and
trade product, German geographer
as One Belt One Road and we
sea routes and corridors and among
Ferdinand von Richthofen coined
look forward to work together with
broader regions.
it the Silk Road in 1877. It was
our Chinese and European friends
In history, Croatia was on the
not just one road but rather a
strengthening bilateral cooperation,
map of the ancient trade routes
series of major trade routes that
cooperation in the China + 16
between Europe and China. The
helped build trade and cultural
CEEC platform and cooperation in
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
the scope of the broad EU-China
In 2017 we will celebrate 25 years
six years long recession. The GDP
dialogue.
of diplomatic relations.
growth for 2015 was 1.8 percent
The forms and names are perhaps
But, it would be fair to say that
and for the industrial production
different, but the goals are the same
our friendship has even deeper roots
was even more promising, placing
– cooperation and inclusiveness,
– as it was mentioned - from Marko
us among the first four in the EU.
partnership and prosperity.
Polo times.
Croatia and China have been
Our mutual trust and understanding
the foreign investments in Croatia
are based on the firm position that
has reached 498 million euro. Our
This friendship has endured
China is one of the key global
export in the first half of 2015 has
difficult times both of our
players in our dynamic global
been increased by 12 percent and
countries have been going through
environment.
has reached 6 billion euro. The
good friends for a long time.
individually - but the cooperation
The Chinese growth and
import has increased as well – by
has always remained the same – it
developing model is transforming
6.3 percent and it reached 9.1 billion
has been firm and fruitful through
towards technology and innovation,
euro. There are very clear signs of
the decades and remains to be so.
recovery of Croatian economy.
This is the friendship we deeply
in Croatian companies from
I am sure that the participation
appreciate and cherish. Both of our
similar fields. Just a few examples:
of Croatia in a New Silk Road
countries had a hard history through
Sinocop Resources has invested
Initiative would benefit the people
20 century with lot of similarities:
in Rimac Cars – the producer of
and countries included in it,
struggle for independence, forming
the fastest electric car in the world;
such as – building port and sea
of the political and social system
Sumvier technology became long
connectivity, building rail, road and
that merits its development the
term strategic partner of Croatian
air connectivity and tourism.
best. Croatian people are deeply
smartphone producer Hangar 18 and
We are looking forward to
grateful to people and leadership of
Chinese venture capital fund Haiyin
see more Chinese investment in
the People’s Republic of China for
Capital has invested in WiTricity,
Europe, which is the number one
their support during Croatian war
advanced company for wireless
destination for foreign investment.
for independence – Homeland war.
battery charging.
The European Commission has
th
This attitude of Chinese side would
Croatia has been continuously
put investment at the very heart of
always be remembered in hearts and
working on improving its investment
its agenda. The Commission has
minds of Croatian people.
and business climate by incentive
launched the Investment Plan for
measures, removal of obstacles and
Europe aiming at delivering 315
improvement of regulations.
billion euro in extra investment
Starting from the very beginning,
our bilateral relations have been
open and friendly. China and Croatia
Croatian GDP has increased 1.2
within Europe. China has applied to
have enjoyed 23 years of close
percent when compared with 2014
become a member of the European
cooperation since our country was
and this represents good news indeed
Bank of Reconstruction and
recognized as the independent state.
as we have come to an end of the
Development (EBRD) as a new
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
way of boosting trade links with
highest quality highways in past 10
Europe and Asia. EU member states
years that put us on the first place
We would like to note with great
welcome that, just as they welcome
in Europe in terms of kilometres
interest that regarding financial
the fact that many European
of highways per capita - we need
requirements, the Chinese side has
countries have applied to become
more investment to upgrade port
shown the willingness to adjust to
founding members of the Asian
infrastructure, in the modernisation
the individual needs of the projects,
Infrastructure Investment Bank
of the railway system, in the energy
taking in the consideration all the
(AIIB), in order to complement
sector and in tourism.
circumstances of the case, both the
world.
existing multilateral development
For example, at the last year’s
banks and to contribute to addressing
meeting in Warsaw the Chinese
the need in Asia for infrastructure
side has proposed to establish the
At the heart of One Belt,
investment.
China-Europe Land-Sea Express
One Road lies the creation of an
European and Chinese leaders
Line to improve connectivity among
economic land belt that includes
have decided to support synergies
regions along the Silk Road. Part of
countries on the original Silk Road
between each other ’s flagship
the proposal is the seaport corridor
through Central Asia, West Asia, the
initiatives. Improving connectivity,
to connect ports on the Adriatic
Middle East and Europe, as well as
both within and beyond the borders
Sea with ports on the Baltic Sea.
a maritime road that links China’s
of the EU is not just one of the
The biggest Croatian port Rijeka
port facilities with the African coast,
most important political goals of
has been explicitly mentioned, so
pushing up through the Suez Canal
the European Union but it is also
Croatian authorities invited foreign
into the Mediterranean.
embedded in its very heart of
investors to explore possibilities
China’s response to this changing
existence and promoted values.It
in investing in the modernisation
growth dynamic is partly external
is good to know that China is also
and the management of the Port of
and partly internal. On the external
interested in taking part in this joint
Rijeka.
side, it is no coincidence that this
value of the project and its model or
process. China and EU have already
Since most of those projects are
period of excess capacity at home
agreed on the main principles how
relatively big, both in terms of its
is the moment at which China
we want this cooperation to move
importance for the broader region
launched expensive new initiatives,
forward. And now we are discussing
and in its estimated value, we will
such as the Asian Infrastructure
how it is going to be implemented in
need to rely on different sources of
Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS
the real life projects that will bring
investment for their financing. In
Bank, and the ‘One Belt, One Road’
prosperity throughout the One Belt,
that respect, we will not limit our
initiative in order to strengthen
One Road territories.
options just toward one investment
infrastructure both on the westward
Croatia is a good example how
source; we will need to diversify
land route from China through
this connectivity can work. Although
among EU funds, institutional and
Central Asia and on the southerly
our infrastructure is relatively well
private investors, public and private
maritime routes from China through
developed – we built 650 km of
partners from different parts of the
Southeast Asia and on to South Asia,
CHINA FORUM ON THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVES
Africa, and Europe.
China and Croatia are cooperating
Those developments will have
The One Belt One Road Initiative
and becoming partner cities – like
synergy and incremental effects on
is a good opportunity to strengthen
Split and Hangzhou – and last
our cooperation which will enhance
cooperation with the other countries
year we celebrated 35 years of
our mutual understanding and
covered by this initiative and to
partnership between Zagreb and
friendship between our people.
strengthen good relations between
Shanghai.
The Silk Road connected us
Republic of Croatia and People´s
Croatia is blessed by the excellent
centuries ago, through different
Republic of China, especially in
geostrategic position in the heart
initiatives has been revived in
economic terms. I expect further
of Europe that we need to exploit
our times and in the future it will
strengthening of economic relations
and take benefit from even more.
regain its crucial significance
and intensifying cooperation
Still, we are living in turbulent and
st
as it will enable 21 century
between our countries especially in
uncertain times, signed by unstable
connectivity to fully flourish and
tourism.
recovery and weak trends of growth.
show its potential. We all witness
These are the obstacles we need to
and contribute to this.
People to people exchange is
numerous and goes both ways; in
prepare for and hopefully avoid.
In my opinion, to achieve
2014 - around 150 000 Chinese
As ancient Chinese wisdom
the best results, we should work
tourists have visited Croatia
teaches us, crisis means also
together and find appropriate
– there has been a 50 percent
opportunity so we need to
answers and solutions in the
increase compared to 2013 - and
promote our comparative and
following three main areas:-
Croatians travel and learn more
competitive advantages by
criteria of selection, compatibility
about China.
taking advantages of the renewed
and financing of various
Cooperation in tourism is
i n t e r e s t s h o w n b y P e o p l e ’s
projects;-enhance the level of
extremely important – it contributes
Republic of China, politically
coordination among different
to economic and trade exchanges
and economically, for the Central
financial institutions in charge of
between the two countries and
and Eastern Europe.
approving and managing projects;-
deepening of the friendship between
This interest spreads on different
harmonizing rules and regulations
the Chinese and Croatian people.
areas of the society. It brings
among various countries to allow
I believe that One Belt One Road
us closer together, it helps us
free movement of goods, services,
Initiative could help tourists from
understand each other better.
all countries participating in the
People from the academia,
If progress will be made in those
Initiative and particularly those from
journalists, tourist experts, young
sensitive and complicated areas,
China, to recognize Croatia as one
people...have strengthen their mutual
win-win cooperation among our
of the leading tourist destinations in
Mediterranean.
Cities and local governments in
countries will reach the new stage
of cooperation and the interaction is
of common understanding and
stronger and faster than ever.
prosperity.