March the 13th, 2025 – The Chinese Ambassador to Croatia, Qi Qianjin, held a press conference yesterday, during which the key messages of China’s “Two Sessions” were presented.
China’s economic progress, foreign policy and opportunities for deepening cooperation with Croatia in the areas of infrastructure, green energy, electric vehicles and tourism were all in focus.
The Ambassador offered detailed explanations of the significance of the “Two Sessions” – the sessions of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held in Beijing.
This annual political event is crucial for understanding China’s domestic and foreign priorities. The focus was on the report on the work of the government by Premier Li Keqiang, which highlighted “high quality, reforms, improving living standards and strengthening trust”.
China achieved a GDP of 17.21 trillion euros back in 2024 with a growth rate of 5%, seeing it positioned it at the forefront of global economies. Its contribution to global economic growth amounted to around 30%, while exports reached a record 5.59 trillion euros.
“Stable progress, the integration of quality and intelligence, and the green transformation are the key words we use to describe China’s path of modernisation,” the ambassador revealed. For 2025, China is maintaining a growth target of 5%, with active fiscal and accommodating monetary policies to stimulate demand.
“While Europe and Croatia tackle challenges with inflation, China is facing a lack of demand. The Chinese inflation rate last year stood at just 0.2%, and the answer lies in encouraging consumption and investment, which opens the door to Croatian products,” he added.
Quality and intelligence as drivers of progress
China is accelerating the development of new productive forces, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, green technology and the digital transformation.
“DeepSeek, an example of Chinese innovation, shows how we can achieve superior AI results with fewer resources, contributing to the global technology community through open source,” the ambassador noted. The value of high-tech production increased by 8.9%, and China advanced to 11th place on the Global Innovation Index. Openness remains key – the negative list for foreign investment has been reduced to 27 items, and China is hosting the International Import Expo for the seventh year in a row, inviting Croatian companies to seize the opportunities of its market.
the Green transformation and electric vehicles
The green transformation is one of the pillars of Chinese policy. “Last year, we reduced Chinese energy consumption per unit of GDP by over 3%, and the share of renewable energy in electricity generation exceeded 35%,” revealed the ambassador. China supplies the world with 70% of its photovoltaic modules and 60% of its wind farm equipment, thus supporting the global fight against climate change. Electric vehicles were particularly highlighted – with an annual production of 13 million, China remains the global leader. BYD electric vehicles will soon arrive here on Croatian market, bringing economic benefits and providing support to Croatia’s own green goals.
chinese-croatian cooperation
The ambassador praised Chinese-Croatia relations, especially the success of the Pelješac Bridge as a symbol of shared achievements. Trade between the two countries back in 2024 reached 2.96 billion US dollars, with imports from Croatia growing by 92.7%.
“We want to import more Croatian products such as tuna and honey, and we’d like to invite Croatian companies to participate in our fairs,” it was stated. In terms of tourism, Chinese visitors to Croatia increased to 249,000, and the unilateral visa-free policy for Croatian nationals will work to further strengthen ties.
“China and Croatia share a vision of a green future. The Senj wind farm and HEP’s new photovoltaic project are examples of our cooperation. With BYD’s expansion, we expect further progress,” concluded Ambassador Qi, calling for joint work on sustainable development and strengthening bilateral relations.
