Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic in official visit to the People's Republic of China during which she will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Yang Jiechi, Vice President of the People's Republic of China Zeng Qinghong and o

Minister Grabar-Kitarovic today visited the Beijing University for International Relations Bei Wai where she met with prof. Hao Ping, professors and students of Croatian language at China's largest university centre for language studies, where more than 30 world languages are taught. Expressing satisfaction with the fact that the People's Republic of China established a department for Croatian language, Minister particularly welcomed great interest of Chinese students for studying Croatian language. Both parties expressed high expectations since the establishment of cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia and the Chinese University for Foreign Affairs and they pointed out the decision of the Chinese side to give more scholarships to candidates from the Republic of Croatia for studies on Chinese universities in the programme of bilateral education cooperation. Minister also held a lecture in which she evocated the 15-year period of fruitful and comprehensive bilateral cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Croatia and she also spoke about the current process of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union and NATO and the situation in South and Southeast Europe. After the lecture, Minister had a long friendly talk with the head of the Department for Croatian language, professors, and 24 Chinese students who are studying Croatian language at the Bei Wai University.

Tonight Minister Grabar-Kitarovic will open “Croatian Film Week 2007“, a culture manifestation during which the Beijing public will have a chance to see modern Croatian cinematography in a selection of six recent and classic Croatian films. She will also attend a reception which is being organised by the Croatian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China Boris Velic on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. On this occasion Minister Grabar-Kitarovic will award prof. Yang Dazhou with the Order of Danica Hrvatska with Marko Marulic's image, which has been awarded to this prominent university professor by the President of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesic for special contribution in the development of cultural cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China.