Interview: China-Croatia joint patrols deepen cooperation, enhance safety: Croatian police director

ZAGREB, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The joint police patrols between China and Croatia have deepened the bilateral law enforcement cooperation and contributed to the Safe Tourist Destination project, said Vlatka Vulic Petkovic, director of the International Cooperation Department of the Croatian Police, in an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday.

"Deepening of the bilateral law enforcement cooperation and making Croatia a safe environment to the tourists have been the core goal of the Safe Tourist Destination project," Petkovic told Xinhua, adding that she has "high expectations" that the core goal of the project will be achieved once again in this year's joint police patrol.

The project, since its launching, has been featured by Croatia's invitation to police officers from around the world to participate in police patrols in major tourist destinations along with Croatian police officers.

China joined the project for the first time in 2018, and the eight Chinese police officers, selected for this year's joint patrol, will carry out a one-month joint patrol mission in Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Zadar and Plitvice Lakes National Park, and take part in activities including helping Chinese tourists, preventing crimes and establishing closer police cooperation.

In the eyes of Petkovic, the performances of Chinese police officers participating in the joint patrols have been more than excellent.

"We expect this level of professionalism, which has been shown by Chinese colleagues, will be met again this year," Petkovic said, adding that the Chinese tourists are often "thrilled" to see police officers from their home country taking part in joint patrols in Croatia.

"So we believe that it will have more than positive effect on the general number of Chinese tourists who will choose Croatia as their tourist destination," she noted.

According to Petkovic, the joint police patrol will not only contribute to the deepening of bilateral law enforcement cooperation, Croatia's tourism safety, but also to better overall cooperation between the two countries.

"Every cooperation, especially the cooperation between bilateral law enforcement agencies, will have a benefit and positive reflection on cooperation between the two countries," she said.

Along with Qi Qianjin, Chinese ambassador to Croatia, Petkovic attended the launching ceremony of this year's joint patrol held on Tuesday.