Top Chinese, Croatian legislators talk on stronger ties

Top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang on Saturday held talks with his Croatian counterpart Josip Leko on deepening bilateral parliamentary relations.
Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, reviewed the smooth growth of China-Crotia relations, particularly since the two countries forged all-round cooperative partnership in 2005.
Zhang highlighted the deeper bilateral political trust, mutual respect and understanding on issues of each other's core concern, remarkable progress in collaboration in trade, economy, science, education and agriculture and close communication on international and multilateral issues.
As the next year will mark the tenth anniversary of China-Crotia all-round cooperative partnership, Zhang called on the two countries to turn good political relations into more collaboration, saying the key of economic collaboration is to identify where both sides' needs and businesses' interests converge.
Zhang also called on Crotia to take the opportunity of growing collaboration between China and central and eastern European countries, boost the bilateral and multilateral cooperation and bring bilateral relations to a new high.
Zhang made a three-point proposal on deepening bilateral parliamentary ties, appealing for more experience sharing on legislation and state governance, particularly on building an open economy and improving social guarantee.
Zhang called on the two legislatures to play out their unique advantages and seek mutually-beneficial cooperation and expand areas of cooperation.
The two legislatures should enhance mutual understanding and people-to-people friendship, promote bilateral cooperation in education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges and create a good policy, legal and social environment for cooperation.
Leko said Crotia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and always regards China a reliable friend.
Leko said the Crotian Parliament will work with the NPC to enhance exchanges at all levels and boost more productive cooperation in all fields.
Leko is on a four-day China visit, which includes a stop in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Leko in Nanjing on the sidelines of the second Summer Youth Olympic Games, which concluded on Thursday.