Recently, the Opening Ceremony of Croatian Peljesac Bridge and the connecting line project was held in Komarna. Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang attended the Opening Ceremony via video and delivered a speech; The President of Croatia Milanovic, Premier Plenkovic, Prolocutor Jandrokovic and Chinese Ambassadors to Croatia attended the Opening Ceremony.
Li Keqiang said: "Premier Plenkovic and I pressed the pile driver start button of the main pier of Peljesac Bridge three years ago. Since then, the bridge has stood many tests like the wind and rain, epidemic, earthquake, etc. Personnel involved in this project overcame many difficulties, carried out construction as scheduled and put it into operation successfully. This is a marvelous success.
Li Keqiang pointed out that the bridge stands for the friendship of China and Croatia. This bridge significantly shortens the travel time between the northern region and the southern region in Croatia, realizes the long-cherished wish of local people, facilitates people flow and physical distribution, vigorously promotes economic and social development and improves the livelihood in Croatia as well as further shortens the distance between Croatian people and Chinese people and becomes a new bridge that deepens the friendship between two countries.
Li Keqiang stressed that this year is the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relation between China and Croatia, and the completion of construction and start of operation of this bridge will make it become a new landmark that represents the friendship between two countries and between people of two countries. It is hoped that Peljesac Bridge like a beautiful rainbow not only can improve the livelihood of Croatian people, but also can lighten the future road of cooperation between China and Croatia and between China and Europe.
Plenkovic said: "today is a historic day. Croatia has finished a national, strategic and cross-parties project, has realized the long-term wish of connecting the northern region and southern region, has significantly shortened the travel time between these two regions, will have significant influences on the traffic, tourism and economy in southern region and will further promote the development of the Sino-Croatia relationship the bilateral cooperation in economy and trade."
On the Opening Ceremony, cultural and artistic performance was also conducted, such as singing, dancing, etc. That night, local residents sailed boats to arrive at the sea nearby the bridge. Their singing and cheers could be heard throughout the Small Ston Bay. The fireworks show brought the atmosphere to the climax.
Peljesac Bridge and the connecting line project is 3.94km long in total. Wherein, the bridge is 2.44km long and 22.5m wide, spans the Adriatic Sea Small Ston Bay, connects the Croatian territory across the sea. This has been the largest traffic infrastructure project since the establishment of the diplomatic relation between China and Croatia as well as a typical project of market cooperation between China and Croatia and Europe.