CROATIA AND CHINA SIGN SEVERAL ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS

BEIJING, Jan 9 (Hina) - A Croatian government delegation headed by Prime Minister Nikica Valentic today arrived in China for a five- day official visit. Valentic met his Chinese counterpart Li Peng and both premiers described relations between the two countries as favourable. They said there were no obstacles to further development of cooperation at both political and economic levels. Valentic told reporters the Chinese prime minister had accepted an invitation to visit Croatia. After official talks between the two government delegations, Croatian Economy Minister Nadan Vidosevic and Chinese Finance Minister Liu Zhongbing signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation. An agreement on cancelling visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports was signed by Assistant Foreign Minister Smiljan Simac and Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo. The general manager of the Croatian oil company INA, Franjo Greguric, and the director of the Chinese petrochemical company Sinochem, Zheng Dunxun, signed a memorandum on further cooperation. Croatia's Economy Minister Nadan Vidosevic and Minister for Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ivica Mudrinic held talks with representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Chinese officials showed interest in boosting the export of consumer goods while the Croatian side was interested in exporting industrial equipment to China. The two sides also discussed firmer banking links and direct ship and airline services between Croatia and China. (hina) mm vm 091553 MET jan 95