An official welcome ceremony, including the firing of a gun salute and a parade and review of the honorary guard, was organised for the Croatian prime minister in front of the Chinese parliament, the National People's Congress, in Tian An Men Square. Most of the square had to be empty to organise the welcome ceremony for the Croatian delegation and the square was decorated with Croatian and Chinese flags.
After meeting Prime Minister Wen, Sanader told Croatian reporters that they discussed bilateral issues and cooperation in multinational organisations.
Sanader said that both sides supported the strengthening of economic cooperation and agreed that they should overcome the stalemate to which bilateral relations had come in the past ten years. He stressed that Croatian companies should export more to China, adding that the talks also tackled some joint projects and the possibility for China to make greater investments in Croatia, as well as the previously discussed issue of using the northern Adriatic port of Rijeka as a distribution centre for Chinese products.
The two prime ministers also attended the signing of some other documents.
A memorandum on cooperation between the two countries' small and medium-sized enterprises was signed by Croatia's Ambassador to China, Boris Velic, and a representative of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Xiao Qiung. The two countries' officials also signed an agreement on cooperation between the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Chinese Export Credit Agency, and a memorandum of understanding between the Croatian oil company INA and the Chinese Sinochem.
An exhibition of modern Croatian drawings was opened in Beijing today. Culture ministers Bozo Biskupic of Croatia and Sun Jiazheng of China opened the event in the presence of Prime Minister Sanader and the Croatian delegation, which also included Economy Minister Damir Polancec.
After Beijing, the exhibition will be staged in Shanghai, Guangzho and Hong Kong, as well as in some European Union cities.
On Friday, the second day of the Croatian delegation's official visit to China, Prime Minister Sanader will be received for talks by Chinese President Hu Jintao. This is the first visit of a Croatian prime minister to China after ten years.
A group of business people visiting China as members of the Croatian delegation will participate in a Croatian-Chinese business forum, which will also be attended by PM Sanader.