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Economic Cooperation Between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China: The Role of the Belt and Road Initiatives Cover

Economic Cooperation Between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China: The Role of the Belt and Road Initiatives

Open Access
|Jun 2026

Figures & Tables

Graph 1.:

The number of exports of the five most important products from Croatia to the People's Republic of China in 2023 (in millions of US dollars)Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/croatia/exports/china

Graph 2.:

Percentage growth of exports from the People's Republic of China to Croatia by products in 2022Source:https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/hrv/partner/chn?redirect=true&dynamicBilateralTradeSelector=year2022

Graph 3.:

Rates of change in tourist overnight stays in Croatia by country in the 2022/2023 seasonSource: https://podaci.dzs.hr/2023/en/58170

Graph 4.:

The total amount of foreign direct investment from the People's Republic of China to Croatia between 2012 and 2023 (in millions of US dollars)Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/865584/china-total-outward-fdi-stock-to-croatia/

j_rsep-2026-0003_tab_003

International treaties and international actsDate of conclusion
Joint Communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China13.05.1992.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Trade and Economic Cooperation27.10.1992.
Protocol on consultations between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China07.06.1993.
Agreement on maritime transport between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China07.06.1993.
Agreement on cultural and educational cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of People's Republic of China07.06.1993.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of People's Republic of China concerning the encouragement and reciprocal protection of investments07.06.1993.
Joint statement of the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China07.06.1993.
Protocol from the first session of the Joint Croatian-Chinese inter-governmental council on economic and trade cooperation15.09.1993.
Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China11.04.1994.
Programme on co-operation in the fields of culture and education between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 1995, 1996 and 199716.09.1994.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income09.01.1995.
Agreement on mutual exemption of visas between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for holders of diplomatic and service passports09.01.1995.
Treaty on cooperation in the domain of aquaculture between the Ministry for Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia and the State Commission for Science of the People's Republic of China10.09.1995.
Consular convention between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China05.02.1996.
Succession treaties between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China27.08.1996.
Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry for Interior Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China26.02.1997.
Agreement on founding of inter-governmental Croatian-Chinese scientific and technological co-operation committee between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China06.10.1997.
Protocol from the fourth session of the Croatian-Chinese inter-governmental council on economic and trade cooperation13.11.1997.
Programme on co-operation in the fields of culture and education between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 1998, 1999 and 200027.02.1998.
Protocol from the first session of the Croatian-Chinese inter-governmental council on scientific and technological cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China18.05.1998.
Protocol from the second session of the Croatian-Chinese inter-governmental council on economic and trade cooperation09.11.1999.
Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism between the Government of the Republic of29.05.2000.
Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China Programme on co-operation in the fields of culture and education between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 2001, 2002 and 200307.11.2000.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of Hong Kong (SAR), Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, on Air Traffic07.06.2002.
Article 9 (>Avoidance of Double taxation<) of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of Hong Kong (SAR), Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, on Air Traffic07.06.2002.
Memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia and State Administration of Tradicional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China in the Field of Tradicional Medicine21.06.2004.
Plan of Cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China in the Field of Health and Medicine for the Years 2004–200621.06.2004.
Programme on Co-operation in the Fields of Culture and Education between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the Years 2004, 2005 and 200614.10.2004.
Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China18.10.2004.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China on the Co-operation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises26.05.2005.
Joint Statement on the Establishment of Partnership in General Co-operation between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China26.05.2005.
Protocol of the Second Session of the Committee for Scientific and Tehnological Cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and the People's Republic of China23.11.2005.
The Cooperation Agreement on Agriculture between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China01.09.2006.
Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Office of Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia and the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the People's Republic of China25.10.2006.
Programme on Co-operation in the Field of Culture between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 2008–201014.05.2008.
Plan of Action between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China in the Field of Health and Medical Science for the years 2009–201220.06.2009.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Economic Cooperation20.06.2009.
Air service Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China20.06.2009.
Protocol of the 4 th Session of the Croatian-Chinese Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee03.11.2009.
Programme of Co-operation in the Field of Culture between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 2011–201302.11.2010.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia and China Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China10.05.2011.
Protocol of the 5th Session of the Croatian-Chinese Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee19.09.2011.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in the Field of Mutual Investments18.05.2012.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on preparing the02.11.2012.
Study on the Establishment of Croatian - Chinese Economic and Technological Zone Program of Cooperation in the Field of Education between the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China for the period 2013–201615.03.2013.
Protocol of the 6th Session of the Croatia-China Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee18.12.2013.
Plan of cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China in the field of health and medicine for the period 2014 – 201725.02.2014.
Action Plan between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture for the 2015–201621.01.2015.
Protocol of the 7th Session of the Croatia-China Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee15.06.2015.
Programme of Cooperation in the Field of Culture between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the years 2016 – 202011.04.2016.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) On Port and Harbour Industrial Park Cooperation Between The National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China And The Ministry of Economy, Small and Medium Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia05.11.2016.
Minutes of the 11th Session of the Joint Croatian-Chinese Commission on Economic Cooperation16.03.2017.
Action Plan between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture for the 2017–201831.03.2017.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the People's Republic of China on cooperation within the framework of the14.05.2017.
Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China on cooperation during the tourist season12.09.2017.
Protocol of the 8th Session of the Croatia-China Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee12.12.2017.
Program of Cooperation in the Field of Education between the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China for the period 2018 – 202207.07.2018.
Plan of cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China in the field of health and medicine for the period 2018 – 202007.07.2018.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism19.09.2018.
Protocol between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China on Veterinary and Public Health Requirements for Dairy Products to be Exported from Croatia to China10.04.2019.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on the Establishment of a Joint Investment Cooperation Working Group to the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation10.04.2019.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Central State Office for Sport of the Republic of Croatia and the General Administration of Sport of the People's Republic of China on cooperation in the field of sport10.04.2019.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China on joint funding of research and development projects10.04.2019.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China on cooperation in the field of special forms of tourism10.04.2019.
Plan of Cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China in the field of health and medicine for the period 2022 – 202428.06.2022.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance24.01.2024.

Number of arrivals and overnight stays of Chinese tourists in Croatia (2021 – September 2024)

Reporting Period2021.Growth Rate2022.Growth Rate2023.Growth RateI.–IX. 2024Growth Rate
Tourist Arrivals11 911−49,3%34 342+188%177 363+416%186 488+56%
Overnight Stays37 968−17,6%92 851+144%267 002+187%279 374+45%

China-Croatia bilateral trade in goods from 2019 to 2023 (million US dollar)

YearTotalGrowth rate (%)ExportGrowth rate (%)ImportGrowth rate (%)
201915400.214005.2140−31.6
2020171010.6 (11.04)157012.2 (12.14)140−4.2 (0)
2021232035.9 (35.67)198026.2 (26.11)340147 (142.86)
202224104.8 (3.88)225014.8 (13.64)160−53.3 (52.94)
202325305.2 (4.98)24006.6 (6.67)140−13.6 (12.50)
2024 Jan–Oct240012.721907.821091
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rsep-2026-0003 | Journal eISSN: 2547-9385 | Journal ISSN: 2149-9276
Language: English
Page range: 11 - 25
Submitted on: Mar 6, 2026
Accepted on: Mar 12, 2026
Published on: Jun 30, 2026
Published by: BC Publishing
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

© 2026 Danijel Mlinarić, published by BC Publishing
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License.