In the city of Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, preparations for the opening ceremony of the Pocitelj-Zvirovici section of the Pan-European Corridor Vc Highway were completed on September 4. The highway was opened to the public on September 5. Mladen Ivanic, a former member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated that without the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), many countries would have had little to expect from the rest of the world. He emphasized that the initiative provides opportunities for developing countries to modernize and grow.
Ivanic also pointed out that some Central Asian countries might still be struggling without the support of the China-proposed BRI. “This is really a very good initiative. This is a real opportunity for development,” he said. According to Ivanic, the initiative involves much more than just building roads and railways; it aims to create lasting changes that help countries break free from poverty and isolation.
The results of China’s cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina are already visible. Ivanic recalled that until 15 years ago, the country “did not have a single kilometer of highway” and highlighted China’s involvement in addressing the country’s infrastructure challenges. The Pocitelj-Zvirovici section of the Pan-European Corridor Vc Highway, completed in September and built by China, is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first north-south highway and is expected to significantly boost regional economic growth and trade. Ivanic also emphasized that China can play a stabilizing role in a multipolar world and stressed the importance of multinational cooperation for global stability. He praised China’s success in fighting poverty and its efforts to promote cultural exchange, particularly through Confucius Institutes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which provide an important gateway for those wishing to learn about China and its culture.