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Ambassador: Slovenia expects more exchanges with China
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Talking about her country's relations with China since diplomatic ties were established in 1992, Adanja said "relations have been always very good, and we're glad to see that each year they are developing and improving. But there's always space to do more."
Trade between the two countries grew by 70 percent last year to over one billion US dollars, Adanja said.
So far, more than 25 Slovenian companies have established a physical presence in China, injecting direct investment of 12 million Euros into the Chinese economy, according to figures from the Bank of Slovenia. And several of them have already announced further plans for investment in China this year.
The ambassador has also pinned high hopes on tourism cooperation between the two countries.
Last year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Slovenia increased by more than 40 percent to reach 14,000, the second largest Asian source of tourists to Slovenia after Japan.
"Tourism is the one sector that can bring the two countries closer together," Adanja said. "People get to know each other directly and see how the other live. I can see that Chinese tourists who go to Slovenia usually like it very much, and I hope they will spread the word and there will be more Chinese tourists coming to Slovenia."
Asked to describe Slovenia in two words, the ambassador surprisingly used piaoliang, the Chinese word for beautiful.
"Slovenia is a very green and very diversified country. We have mountains, lakes, valleys, seaside," she said.
Adanja also hopes to see more cultural exchanges between the two countries. Last year, a Confucius Institute was opened in the capital Ljubljana, which the ambassador said is another opportunity to increase mutual understanding between the two peoples.
"Slovenians have always been very interested in learning Chinese language, Chinese history and about China in general," she said. "There are already about two hundred students who study Chinese language at the Institute, which is a big figure, considering Slovenia's small population."
Adanja is also taking classes learning Chinese herself, including a program last September sponsored by the Confucius Institute Headquarters.
"It's glad to be in a country that is developing so quickly, that has this ambition to go further and where each day there's new development," Adanja said.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of China-Slovenia diplomatic relations next year, the Slovenian government is arranging a series of activities, including exhibitions of Slovenian artists and as well as performances by Slovenian musicians in China.
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