Croatian prime minister on working visit to China

PM Andrej Plenković in China with his counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing (Vlada.hr)

ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) – Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who is paying a working visit to China from 2 to 6 November, on Sunday visited Shanghai and held talks with Mayor Ying Yong, and during his stay in this Chinese commercial hub, he also toured the 36-kilometre-long Hangzhou Bay Bridge, built by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) which has been awarded the contract to construct Croatia’s Peljesac Bridge.

Hangzhou Bay Bridge, which was inaugurated in 2008, is a highway bridge across Hangzhou Bay and connects the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. The bridge shortened the highway travel distance between Shanghai and the world biggest seaport of Ningbo from 400 to 180 kilometres, thus reducing travel time from four to two hours.

The CRBC corporation managed to build this cable-stayed bridge with the longest span of 448 metres in five years.

CRBC executives informed PM Plenkovic about the characteristics of this bridge, which is one of the longest highway bridges in the world.

(Photo: Vlada.hr)

After his talks with the Shanghai mayor Ying, the Croatian premier said that during the visit to Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the Croatian delegation had an opportunity to see how the CRBC corporation had been successful in completing the demanding job of building that 36-kilometre-long bridge within five years.

“This is an extraordinary success,” Plenkovic said.

On 23 April this year, the Croatian road operator (HC) and the CRBC signed a contract for the construction of Peljesac Bridge and access roads, worth HRK 2.08 billion (EUR 281 million) excluding VAT.

The bridge will be 2.4 kilometres long and 55 metres high. It should be built in 36 months and the beginning of the work was in July.

Peljesac Bridge is to be constructed between the Croatian mainland and Peljesac peninsula to bypass the 15-kilometre-long stretch of the coast at Neum where Bosnia and Herzegovina has access to the Adriatic Sea. The bridge will ensure connectivity between the Dubrovnik area and the rest of Croatia.

Croatian delegation’s visit focuses on boosting economic ties

On Monday, PM Plenkovic together with a score of foreign leaders will attend the opening of China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The Croatian premier is due to hold a meeting with Huawei top executives and also participate in the panel discussion “Trade & Innovation” in Shanghai.

He will formally open the office of the Croatian National Tourism Board (HTZ) in the largest city in China by population and will participate in a Croatian-Chinese business forum to be organised there by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK). The HGK set up its office in Shanghai a year ago in a bid to provide stronger institutionalised support to all Croatian companies entering the Chinese market.