First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić received on inaugural visits Finnish Ambassador Timo Rajakangas, South African Ambassador Johann Marx and Chinese Ambassador Deng Ying.
Wishing the new Finnish ambassador welcome, Pusić underlined the continuously good relations between Croatia and Finland, and thanked for the general support during Croatia’s EU entry talks as well as for the cooperation realized through 15 twinning projects. The minister familiarized Rajakangas with the new economic diplomacy concept, adding that Croatia invested a lot in improving the investment climate on the state and local level by implementing new regulations and strategies. The Finnish ambassador said he would continue working on strengthening the economic dimension of the relations, with both officials agreeing that the stability of Southeast Europe was important for the stability of the EU as a whole and pointing out Croatia’s active role in the region.
South African Ambassador Marx expressed a wish to intensify the two countries’ political and economic relations, adding it would be useful to simplify the visa issuance procedure. He stressed the possibility of Croatian companies’ participation in road building in South Africa and other member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). He conveyed the invitation of Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane for Pusić to visit South Africa. Pusić emphasized the importance of intensifying the two countries bilateral relations, notably in term of policy and economy, noting the possibilities of investing in tourism, energy and transport.
Chine Ambassador Deng emphasized good bilateral relations, wishing to be familiarized with concrete possibilities of the two countries’ cooperation. Pusić pointed out the opening of Croatian General Consulate in Shanghai as a result of her visit to China in November the previous year, given the prospects of economic cooperation, notably in terms of small and medium sized entrepreneurship. She said this week a meeting had been organized with head of five north Croatia counties aimed at joint appearance on the markets of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Chinese investors can find interest in major infrastructural and energy projects in Croatia, said Pusić. She also informed the Chinese ambassador about the Croatia House Foundation, established in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, which promotes Croatian art and culture in the region and beyond.