Bosnia and Herzegovina

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

The friendly relations and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and Bosnia and Herzegovina achieved steady growth in 2013.

The two countries maintained political exchanges at various levels. In November, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council met Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Vjekoslav Bevanda on the sidelines of the Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in Bucharest, Romania. In February, Assistant Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zoran Perkovic visited China for the second bilateral consultation on treaty inventory and consular affairs.

Business cooperation produced new results. In May, construction of the Stanari power plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina undertaken by a Chinese company started. It is the first major cooperative project between the two countries and also the first project under the US$10 billion special credit line for China-CEECs cooperation. In February, Governor of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina Kemal Kozaric visited China.

Cooperation between political parties and in the military, cultural and other fields continued to expand. In April, Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a delegation to China to attend the fourth China-Europe High-level Political Parties Forum in Suzhou. In September, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese PLA Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong led a Chinese military delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. In October, Defense Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zekerijah Osmic visited China. In November, a painting exhibition of contemporary Chinese artists was held in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina took an active part in China-CEECs cooperation. In May, Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sredoje Novic led a delegation to China for the Forum on Cultural Cooperation Between China and CEECs. In July, Sasa Maric, National Coordinator of Bosnia and Herzegovina for China-CEECs Cooperation and Advisor to Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a local leaders delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the Local Leaders' Meeting of China and CEECs in Chongqing, China. In October, Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a delegate to attend the National Coordinators' Meeting for Cooperation Between China and CEECs in Bucharest, Romania. Croatian Democratic Union, Alliance of Independent Social Democrats and Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina sent delegations to China to attend the China-CEEC Young Political Leaders Forum. In December, former Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Haris Silajdzic and others attended the High-level Symposium of Think Tanks of China and CEECs in China.