High-Level Investment Promotion Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Business Forum for Chinese Enterprises Held in Sarajevo.

On September 3, 2026 local time, the High-Level Investment Promotion Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Business Forum for Chinese Enterprises was held at the Parliament Building of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo. Representatives from BiH government departments, investment promotion agencies, and chambers of commerce gathered with a Chinese entrepreneur delegation to engage in in-depth exchanges on the investment environment, key industries, major projects, and practical cooperation between Chinese and BiH enterprises, jointly exploring new opportunities for China-BiH economic and trade cooperation.

The forum was jointly organized by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA), and the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, with the attendance of representatives from the Embassy of BiH in China and the Chinese Embassy in BiH. Entrepreneur representatives from China’s construction engineering, real estate development, consumer goods manufacturing, power and energy, new energy, digital economy, vocational education, and building materials and home furnishing sectors participated in the forum.

BiH Sends Positive Signals for Investment Cooperation

At the opening ceremony, Slavisa Ceranic, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, attended and delivered a speech on behalf of the Minister of Finance and Treasury. He stated that the BiH government attaches great importance to international investment and is committed to fostering a stable, transparent, and predictable investment and business environment. What BiH hopes to attract is not only capital, but also investments that can create new value, including new technologies, new jobs, new export capabilities, and new industrial development opportunities.

Slavisa Ceranic, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, delivering a speech

Ceranic pointed out that Chinese enterprises possess capital, technology, and global market experience, while BiH boasts an industrial foundation, professional talent, natural resources, and geographical advantages. The two sides can further strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and industrial manufacturing. “We hope that Chinese enterprises will see in BiH not only a market, but a partner worthy of long-term cooperation,” he said.

Marko Cubatlija, Director of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of BiH, presented the investment environment and industrial development opportunities in BiH. He noted that BiH is strategically located in the important region of Southeastern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula, connecting the markets of Central Europe, the Adriatic Sea, and Southeastern Europe, with geographical and industrial advantages in transportation, energy, industrial manufacturing, and resource development. During the forum, Cubatlija also provided detailed information on BiH’s investment policies, competitive industries, and projects with investment potential, and exchanged views on issues of concern to Chinese enterprises regarding the investment environment, industrial cooperation, and project implementation.

Marko Cubatlija, Director of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of BiH, delivering a presentation

Cubatlija stated that with the continuous restructuring of European industrial and supply chains, BiH is embracing new development opportunities in attracting industrial investment, developing manufacturing, advancing energy transition, and expanding regional market cooperation. For Chinese enterprises seeking to further expand into the European and Balkan markets, BiH is emerging as an investment destination and regional cooperation hub worthy of attention.

Advancing Cooperation from “Exchange” to “Action”

Sinisa Berjan, Ambassador of BiH to China, stated in his speech that in recent years, he has continuously introduced BiH to Chinese enterprises and people from all walks of life, hoping that more Chinese enterprises would visit BiH to personally learn about the local market, industries, and projects. The arrival of this Chinese entrepreneur delegation in BiH is a positive response to this invitation.

Sinisa Berjan, Ambassador of BiH to China, delivering a speech

Berjan noted that BiH and China enjoy a sound and friendly cooperative relationship, and the current important task is to further translate the traditional friendship between the two countries into more concrete economic outcomes, promoting more investment, joint ventures, new technologies, new jobs, and larger-scale trade exchanges. “The real achievement is not how many speeches we heard today, nor how many business cards we exchanged, but what will happen after this forum,” he emphasized.

Dr. Zdravko Marinkovic, President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, stated that economic cooperation between China and BiH should not remain solely at the level of large-scale strategic projects, but should further promote deep connections between the enterprises, industries, and markets of both sides. He pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative provides an important platform for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides, whose value is reflected not only in large infrastructure projects, but also in fostering connections between enterprises, markets, technologies, and development resources.

Dr. Zdravko Marinkovic, President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, delivering a speech

Marinkovic stated that BiH hopes to further expand opportunities for its domestic products to enter the Chinese market, particularly exploring more opportunities for cooperation in metal processing, wood processing, electrical industry, and food products, while promoting cooperation in green transition, digital economy, energy efficiency, and talent development. The Foreign Trade Chamber is willing to serve as an important bridge connecting BiH and Chinese enterprises, helping both sides find partners and expand markets.

Sejla, Director of the Office of the President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, delivering a speech

Chinese Side Proposes Five Key Cooperation Directions

Zhao Zichen, Secretary-General of the Modern Service Industry Working Committee of the Economic Joint Committee of China Commercial Stock Enterprises, delivered a speech at the forum. She stated that the purpose of leading this Chinese entrepreneur delegation to BiH is not only to understand the local investment environment, but more importantly, to seek cooperation projects that can be truly implemented through on-site visits, government exchanges, and enterprise matchmaking. The delegation covers multiple industrial sectors with strong industrial complementarity.

Zhao Zichen, Secretary-General of the Modern Service Industry Working Committee of the Economic Joint Committee of China Commercial Stock Enterprises, delivering a speech

Zhao Zichen pointed out that BiH is located in the core region of the Balkan Peninsula and serves as an important node connecting the European market. Chinese enterprises possess capital, technology, industrial capabilities, and global market experience, while BiH enjoys advantages in geography, industry, talent, and resources. Complementary strengths form the foundation of bilateral cooperation, and promoting project implementation is the goal of bilateral cooperation. Regarding future China-BiH cooperation, she proposed five key cooperation directions:

First, jointly building a China-BiH Innovation and Industry Incubation Center. Leveraging the industrial resources and technological advantages of both sides, the initiative aims to promote the construction of an innovation and industry incubation platform, focusing on traditional industry upgrading, high-tech research and development, innovative enterprise cultivation, and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, providing services such as policy consulting, project incubation, market expansion, and resource matchmaking for enterprises of both sides.

Second, deepening cooperation in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence industries. Cooperation will be carried out in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence applications, digital content, and cross-border e-commerce, exploring the application of AI technology in government affairs, judiciary, cultural tourism, and other fields to promote the development of the digital economy.

Third, promoting the establishment of a “BiH International Silk Road Reception Hall”. Leveraging the global “Silk Road Reception Hall” cooperation network, the initiative explores the establishment of an International Silk Road Reception Hall in BiH, building a dual-driven model of “offline physical platform + online digital exhibition hall”, continuously conducting project promotion, enterprise matchmaking, investment negotiation, and cultural exchanges, making it an important cooperation node connecting Chinese enterprises with BiH and European markets.

Fourth, promoting vocational education and training base construction. Addressing the talent needs in digital economy, advanced manufacturing, and modern services, the initiative promotes joint program development, faculty and student exchanges, joint training, and training base construction between Chinese vocational education institutions and BiH universities, providing talent support for industrial cooperation between the two sides.

Fifth, conducting precise enterprise matchmaking across multiple industries. Targeting the industries of the enterprises in this delegation, further specialized matchmaking will be conducted with relevant BiH government departments, industry organizations, and local leading enterprises, engaging in in-depth negotiations on industrial investment, commodity trade, production capacity cooperation, and market expansion to promote more practical cooperation outcomes.

Connecting Resources Through Platforms, Promoting Implementation Through Cooperation

As the organizer of this Chinese entrepreneur delegation, Sanchuang Heyi (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. has continuously focused on the international development needs of Chinese enterprises and actively participated in international economic and trade exchanges and industrial resource matchmaking. In recent years, the company has actively built communication bridges among governments, institutions, and enterprises around the “Going Global” of enterprises, international project cooperation, industrial resource matchmaking, and cross-border economic and trade exchanges, promoting Chinese enterprises to establish more stable and efficient cooperative ties with overseas markets. Organizing Chinese enterprises to visit BiH this time is precisely to enable more Chinese enterprises to gain an in-depth understanding of the BiH market and promote the implementation of practical cooperation projects through the model of “government setting the stage, institutions coordinating, and enterprises taking the spotlight”.

During the forum, participating guests also engaged in in-depth exchanges on key investment projects in BiH, economic and trade cooperation opportunities, industrial development, and the investment needs of Chinese enterprises. All participating parties unanimously agreed that from infrastructure to energy, from advanced manufacturing to digital economy, from vocational education to modern services, from commodity trade to industrial investment, China and BiH enjoy broad cooperation space. Friendship requires exchange, and cooperation requires action. Promoting cooperation from “acquaintance” to “mutual understanding” and from “exchange” to “action” has become an important consensus of this forum.