Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grli? Radman on Monday in Beijing. Wang urged the two countries to strengthen exchanges at all levels, further align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Croatia's development strategy, and expressed hope that Croatia would continue to play a constructive role in promoting China-Europe cooperation. 

The visit will not only advance economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and boost people-to-people exchanges, but also signals the efforts of some European nations to look beyond the continent in diversifying their markets, experts said.

China and Croatia should strengthen exchanges at all levels to enhance mutual understanding and trust, remain committed to mutual respect and support, further align the BRI with Croatia's development strategy, and deepen cooperation across various fields, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, according to a readout published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. 

Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries constitutes an important part of China-EU relations. China is willing to continue strengthening cooperation with Croatia based on the principles of openness, transparency, and mutual benefit, said Wang.

The Chinese foreign minister noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, a critical juncture in China-EU ties. A key lesson from the development of China-EU relations over the past 50 years is the importance of treating each other as partners committed to cooperation and win-win outcomes.

A stable, healthy, and positively developing China-EU relationship serves the fundamental interests and shared aspirations of both sides. The two parties should stay true to their original intentions, maintain their partnership and commitment to open cooperation, respect each other, learn from one another, and properly manage differences through dialogue to achieve mutual benefit, Wang said. 

Wang expressed hope that Croatia would continue to play a constructive role in advancing China-EU cooperation.

Radman said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 30 years ago, China and Croatia have advanced their cooperation based on mutual respect and reciprocal benefit, with bilateral relations maintaining sound and steady development. The Croatian government firmly upholds the one-China principle, recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing all of China, and regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

Croatia looks forward to closer high-level exchanges with China and to strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and connectivity. It also welcomes more Chinese tourists, Radman said.

Radman's visit aims to bolster economic and trade cooperation, as well as people-to-people exchanges with China, at a time when the China-EU Summit is set to convene and as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries, Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times. 

Jian explained that there is significant potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as agricultural trade, infrastructure development, and emerging sectors like digital technology and artificial intelligence. Moreover, Croatia's rich tourism resources continue to attract large numbers of Chinese tourists.

China and Croatia have maintained strong diplomatic relations for over three decades, with growing economic, cultural, and infrastructural ties—most notably, the Pelje?ac Bridge, constructed by a Chinese consortium, remains a flagship example of collaboration, according to the Dubrovnik Times, a Croatian newspaper.

Grli? Radman's upcoming visit is expected to further align the two countries' strategic interests, deepen dialogue, and expand avenues for cooperation across trade, infrastructure, education, and tourism, said the newspaper. 

From July 10 to 12, 2025, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs Lu Shaye also visited Croatia. He had a brief conversation with Radman, along with other Croatian officials, and attended and addressed the Dubrovnik Forum.

Lu stated that China is ready to work with Croatia to take the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive cooperative partnership as an opportunity to further elevate bilateral relations. There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the EU, and the two sides share extensive common interests. China hopes that Croatia will make positive contributions to the sound and stable development of China-EU relations.

In January, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovi? said the EU must increase its economic cooperation with China and believed "a little pragmatism" will be necessary when dealing with the US, CGTN reported.

Amid the complicated geopolitical situation, which involves US pressure and economic challenges in Europe, Radman's visit to China has extended beyond the bilateral level, Zhao Yongsheng, a research fellow at the Institute of Regional and International Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, told the Global Times. 

The visit signals that Croatia - like many other countries on the continent - is trying to reach beyond Europe seeking to diversify its market, and strengthening economic ties with China is always a key part of its strategy to diversify markets, Zhao noted.