The Peljesac Bridge, built by a Chinese company, is an outstanding example of China-Croatia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, which was completed and opened to traffic in July 2022, fulfilling the long-cherished wish of the Croatian people to connect the mainland of Croatia with the Pelješac Peninsula. The Peljesac Bridge is the largest infrastructure project undertaken by China in the European Union, the first sea-crossing bridge in Europe, and a bridge of friendship between China and Europe.
Recently, the Phoenix Center welcomed former Croatian President Josipovic, who visited China several times and actively promoted the in-depth development of China-Croatia relations during his presidency from 2010 to 2015.
Josipović: The Peljesac Bridge is a model of cooperation between the two countries under the Belt and Road Initiative
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
What is your proudest achievement during your presidency of Croatia?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
When I became president, I wanted to achieve three goals. One is to join the European Union. The second is to build better relations with our neighbours — Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. There were a lot of disputes between us, and there was even a war in the 90s of the last century. The third is the fight against corruption. I think the anti-corruption work is doing quite well. I'm proud of these three programs. The highlight of my political career was the signing of agreements with European countries for Croatia to join the European Union. In addition to this, we have established very good relations with many important countries, especially countries like China, which are very important economically and politically. We work with China on many levels. I must mention that a Chinese company built our largest and most important bridge near Dubrovnik - the Peljesac Bridge. This is a very important and outstanding cooperation between China and Croatia.
This is very important to us, one is the economic factor, the comfort of passengers is greatly increased. It is also important from a political point of view, because there is a gap in the territory of Croatia. Our territory is separated by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before, we couldn't drive directly to Dubrovnik, we had to go through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now with this bridge, we can go directly to it, which is much more convenient without having to cross the border. It was definitely a very successful project. I see this as a model of cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Josipovic: The Belt and Road Initiative follows the principle of win-win The participating countries are winners
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
What do you think this project means for a country like Croatia, and what are the potential future cooperation between China and Croatia under the Belt and Road Initiative?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
It's a really great project. It is probably the largest economic project in history. It concentrates funds and other resources on projects that are of great importance to each country. This project is based on a very important principle put forward by the Chinese government, which is the principle of win-win. Everyone is a winner, China is a winner, Croatia is a winner, and many other countries involved in the project are also winners. Therefore, it is ushering in a new era of economic relations, which is very important.
Josipovic's first visit to China was about 30 years ago. He lamented that China has made incredible development achievements over the past few decades, becoming one of the largest economies in the world. This growth complements China's vision of a multipolar world, which has fostered extensive cooperation between China and other regions around the world, including the Central and Eastern European region where Croatia is located. Over the past 10 years, many economic and trade cooperation projects have been implemented under the framework of China-CEEC cooperation, and this cooperation mechanism has made significant achievements. In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between China and CEE will reach 941.52 billion yuan, an increase of 2.8% over 2022. Steady growth has been achieved in the context of a general recession in global trade.
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
How do you think the cooperation mechanism between China and CEEC has affected the relationship between China and the countries in your region?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
Cooperation with China is very important for our development, and it is also important for China. I think one of the possible collaborations is to invest in greenfield in Croatia, especially in the automotive sector, or in other sectors such as investing in the food industry. This is very beneficial for both China and Croatia. I would also like to see more Croatian and CEE products exported to China, because we have very good products, but maybe quantity will be an issue. China is so big that it's hard for us to meet all the needs of this huge market, but we do what we can. I think both sides should be able to develop these new possibilities, and it will be a win-win situation.
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
Can you see Chinese electric cars on the streets of Croatia?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
There are not many electric cars in China in Croatia. Now they're starting to hit the market. I saw a report in the newspaper that we were selling electric cars in China. They are very good, cheaper and of better quality than some very well-known brands. I think Chinese cars have a good future in Europe as a whole, but some car companies in Europe are scared of the success of Chinese companies. It's a matter of cooperation. There are many European companies in China, and it is not beneficial for both sides to close the door, and mutual promotion of product exchanges, mutual export of products to each other's countries can bring common benefits.
Josipovic: In order to meet the requirements for accession, Croatia will solve the problems it faces in an appropriate manner
Born in 1957, Josipovich is a jurist, composer and politician. During his presidency from 2010 to 2015, he pushed for a series of decisive reforms to increase economic growth, crack down on corruption, fight crime, and address social injustice. In 2013, Croatia officially joined the EU "family", becoming the 28th EU member state at that time. At the same time, Josipović also made the development of good-neighborly relations one of the priorities of Croatia's foreign policy.
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
When Croatia joined the EU, you called "we are turning a page in history". What does that process look like for you?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
It is very interesting that in Croatia all political parties have a harmonious and good will to join the European Union. So both the government and the opposition parties are moving in the same direction. But we have encountered difficulties in the negotiations, because the conditions for becoming a member of the EU are quite strict, especially with regard to the rule of law. The EU only accepts countries that are competitive and democratic in the EU, and whose economies can survive in the EU. We will also have to amend a number of laws to bring them into line with EU law. The negotiations have been going on for many years, and from time to time we are disappointed because progress has been too slow.
During our negotiations with the EU, Croatia turned into a better country and a better society. More importantly, because during the war, the country was full of nationalism, criminals, and other war-related problems, we had to change our country, and that has happened. We fought a just battle and liberated ourselves. But on the other hand, every war is accompanied by problems. How to integrate minorities into our society, how to create possibilities for them to develop their own culture, national consciousness, etc. We resolved these issues in an appropriate manner and were then allowed to join the EU.
Josipovic: Croatia's rise in prices and inflation should not be blamed on joining the eurozone
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
Last year, Croatia also joined the eurozone and the Schengen area. What do you think this has for Croatia?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
Some politicians claim that joining the eurozone would be bad for the Croatian economy and could lead to rising prices and inflation. These phenomena do occur to some extent, but not because of the eurozone. High prices, inflation is now prevalent throughout Europe, and not only in Europe, but even in the United States and some other countries. I don't think it's right to blame the eurozone for these phenomena. The Eurozone is very important to our entrepreneurs. It reduces costs and is very beneficial for our tourism industry, as people coming from other parts of Europe no longer need to exchange money, making it more convenient for them. Therefore, I think it is very important for Croatia to join the Schengen area and the eurozone. Our Government is to be congratulated on such an achievement.
Josipovic: Music and law represent different aspects of my personality
Stripped of the title of "president", he is also a famous composer. Josipovich studied at the Conservatory, where he worked as a lecturer and also ran his own orchestra. He has received medals from the European Broadcasting Union for his work. Josipović is fond of Chinese music, and "Jasmine" is one of his favorite Chinese pieces. And introducing Chinese music to Europe is the wish of the musician president.
Before entering politics, Josipović obtained a doctorate in law and drafted several Croatian bills, represented Croatia in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice, and is still teaching at the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb.
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
Of all these different identities, which one is the one you're most interested in and which one do you like the most?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
In my life, I have had two major passions, law and music. My friends always joke: being president is a very big "mistake". I was surprised when I was offered to run for president. I said okay, let's give it a try. It all went very well and professionally. I am very pleased with that, because some results have been achieved since I was elected. This is very important. Being a politician is not an easy job.
Music creation is not rational, but an inspiration, but the law is rational. I think that represents a different aspect of my personality. I love both. I was a law professor. I am still teaching as a PhD student at the University of Zagreb. I have represented Croatia as a lawyer before international tribunals. It was a very interesting time in my life. But even during this period, I never gave up music. At one point, I was the secretary general of the Composers' Union, during which time I was more passionate about music than the law. Then another time I was more inclined towards the law. For me, it's constantly changing. I enjoy law and music, and I love both areas equally.
Josipović: I use music to express my political position
Moderator: Zhu Zilu:
Your Excellency Josipović, when you became President of Croatia, how did your talent and interest in music influence your leadership skills and leadership style?
Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović:
I use my knowledge of music to express my political stance and also to showcase my country. When I first ran for the presidency, I had well-known musicians from all walks of life in Croatia join the team. The variety of musical styles adds a lot to me. We do concerts all over the country, and through these concerts, I send a political message every time, but I also send another simple message, which is to enjoy the music. During my presidency, we carried out advocacy activities for Croatia's accession to the European Union, and I participated in many cultural events organized by the state, especially concerts. For example, I had a concert in Poland. The concert was fantastic, received a lot of media attention, promoted Croatia very well, and also showed that Croatia is an important cultural country in the European Union.
Producer: Wang Zhijiang
Choreographer: That's fine
Edit: That's fine