Slovenia

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the friendly relations and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Slovenia continued to grow steadily.

The two countries maintained political exchanges at all levels. In November, Premier Li Keqiang met with Prime Minister of Slovenia Alenka Bratusek in Bucharest, capital of Romania, who was also attending the Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries. In January, General Liang Guanglie, State Councilor and Minister of Defense, visited Slovenia. In October, Igor Sencar, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came to China for the consultation between the two foreign ministries.

The two countries achieved new progress in their practical cooperation. A Chinese enterprise merged and purchased TAM-Dura Bus, making it the first production-based enterprise in Slovenia that has investment from a Chinese company. Another Chinese enterprise ventured with ARCTUR of Slovenia and planned to establish a supercomputer center. In July, the tenth Regular Meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic and Commercial Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia was held in Ljubljana.

The two countries had smooth cooperation in tourism, justice and military as well as at the local level. In April, Slovenian Tourist Board held the "Feel Slovenia" tourism promotion activity in Beijing. Vice Minister of Justice Zhang Sujun visited Slovenia. In October, the fourth workinglevel dialogue between the defense ministries of China and Slovenia was held in Beijing. By 2013, China and Slovenia had established three pairs of sister cities.

Slovenia took an active part in the cooperation between China and CEE Countries. In July, Stanislav Rascan, National Coordinator for Cooperation between China and CEE Countries and Director General of the Directorate for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, together with a delegation of local leaders, came to China for the Local Leaders' Meeting of China and CEE Countries. In October, National Coordinator of Slovenia for Cooperation between China and CEE Countries Rascan attended the National Coordinators' Meeting for Cooperation between China and CEE Countries. The Social Democrats Party and the Positive Slovenia Party sent a delegation to China for the Young Political Leaders Forum of China-CEE Countries. In December, experts and scholars of Slovenia came to China for the High-level Symposium of Think Tanks of China and CEE Countries.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn