LI: CONTINUE TRADITIONAL FRIENDSHIP AND DEEPEN COOPERATION

SARAJEVO, MAY 14 /SRNA/ - China is ready to continue its traditional friendship with BiH, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and elevate bilateral relations to a higher level in order to better serve the interests of the peoples of both countries, said Chinese Ambassador to BiH Li Fan today.

Speaking to the press ahead of the conference marking 30 years of BiH - China diplomatic relations, held today in Sarajevo, Li stated that the two countries have always moved forward hand in hand during that period.

She noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović exchanged congratulatory notes on the anniversary of diplomatic relations, recalling the Chinese president's words that both sides have built their relations on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and shared benefit.

"Bilateral trade in 2024 increased by 15.2% compared to the previous year," Li emphasized, adding that projects like the Ivovik wind farm, the Počitelj Bridge, the construction of the hospital in Doboj, and the urban tram line in Sarajevo have been of real benefits to citizens.

Li also noted that, thanks to the visa-free agreement signed in 2018, the number of Chinese tourists visiting BiH has significantly increased, while Confucius Institutes and Sinology programmes in BiH keep offering diverse and rich content.

Marinko Čavara, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, expressed special gratitude to China for not interfering in BiH's internal affairs, offering friendship and economic cooperation.

"I thank everyone in China and BiH who worked hard and contributed to such good relations with a great country like China," said Čavara, who also serves as Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Asia.

Faruk Borić, the head of the BiH-China Friendship Association, called this a great day of friendship for the two countries, emphasizing the significant leap in cooperation across all fields in the last 10 years.