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The discussion between Chinese and Croatian experts provided a comprehensive overview of current international affairs, with a special emphasis on Croatia - China relations which have been constantly evolving based on the principle of understanding, and friendship.

President of the Geoeconomic Forum Croatia Jasna Plevnik greeted the distinguished guests and  said there were  many significant events in the history of relations, but the real breakthrough in the bilateral  and multilateral relations has come after China launched of China-CEECs cooperation and the BRI. Both models have rapidly improved the political dialogue at high political levels and Beijing has never asked Croatia, or any country in our region to not follow its obligations toward the EU rules or standards.

It was said that a lot of credit for the opening of Croatia to the Initiatives belonged to incumbent  Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković whose foreign policy has brought dynamics and concrete activism into that cooperation. 

Dr. Jasna Plevnik noted that China is in the global spotlight with its global initiatives for more global connectivity, development, and stability and its Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis focused to prevent the crisis from deteriorating further and bring peace.

Stjepan Mesić, a former President of Croatia fully supports China's peace plan for Ukraine

Stjepan Mesić, a former President of Croatia from 2000 to 2010, and a member of the Geoeconomic Forum's Advisory board, greeted the guests from China and wished them a pleasant stay in Croatia.

R/L: Former President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić, Vice President of the Geoeconomic Forum Zvonko Ladešić, Director of IWEP Yuyan Zhang.

Former President Mesić said he visited China many times and met with China's leaders and after each of his visits, he remained amazed at the speed with which China is developing and the rising standards of Chinese citizens.

Mesić said that he fully supported China's peace plan for Ukraine.

Reflecting on the situation in Ukraine Mesić stated that he was shocked that the West did not support ending the conflict in Ukraine by diplomacy and  did not yet  publish even any declaration for  peace in Ukraine and Europe. 

Mesić said that those in the EU who call for peace in Ukraine are labeled as being pro-Putin. 

He highlighted that because of the EU’s inability to resolve the conflict through its diplomacy, there was a wave of economic crisis in Europe. He added that the vast majority of Europe is suffering serious economic consequences because of the war.

The former President of Croatia also said he was concerned about the inability of the EU to conduct an autonomous foreign policy and it continued that would cause long-term negative strategic consequences on the EU’s role in the world order. 

The experts from the  IWEP were interested in  Croatia's experience with  the euro

The experts from the  IWEP were interested in  Croatia's experience with adopting the euro on 1 January 2023 as its currency.

Professor Mladen Vedriš, vice president of the Geoeconomic Forum from 2004 to 2022, and member of the council of the Geoeconomic Forum elaborated that  Croatia is a small economy that is well integrated with the euro area through trade and financial linkages.

 Vedriš stated that everything that had to be done "normatively,  and formally" regarding the introduction of the euro had been done.

He also stated that the euro will facilitate transactions in the economy, and for the state, it will mean greater financial stability, lower interest rates, and more favorable borrowing conditions. Considering the current geopolitical crisis, he says, the euro will be a "shelter" that can be counted on.