Chinese police officers talk with Chinese tourists during a joint police patrol with Croatian counterparts in Zagreb, Croatia, July 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)

Croatia, under its "safe tourist destination project," invites police officers from other countries to patrol major tourist areas along with the Croatian police. China joined the initiative in 2018. 

For Chinese tourists in Zagreb, Croatia, meeting Chinese police officers patrolling in a European city thousands of kilometers away from Beijing is a delightful surprise.

Liu Hongyi, a Chinese tourist, said she was thrilled to see officers in Chinese uniforms and hear them speaking Chinese, which heightened her sense of security. "I feel very happy to meet police officers from the motherland in a foreign country doing the joint patrols. Just like meeting relatives," she added.

Zhang Yuan and Song Ruofang, from Guangdong Province in southern China, also expressed enthusiasm. Planning to visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park and Dubrovnik, they voiced their excitement when they learned that Chinese police are conducting joint patrols in top tourist areas in Croatia, including their destinations.

"We feel that our country will escort us throughout the journey in Croatia, making us feel very proud," they said.

Chinese and Croatian police officers conduct a joint patrol in Zagreb, Croatia, July 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)

Xu Yonggang and Jiang Lilin, a couple from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, found the joint patrols reassuring, dispelling their concerns about the security in Europe. "Now we recommend our compatriots to visit Croatia as it is a very safe place," Xu said.

The Safe Tourist Destination project, launched by Croatia, invites police officers from other countries to patrol major tourist areas along with Croatian police officers. China joined the initiative in 2018.

Starting on July 22, eight Chinese officers will conduct a one-month joint patrol mission in Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Zadar, and Plitvice Lakes National Park to assist Chinese tourists, prevent crimes, and enhance police cooperation between the two nations.

Han Zhuoqi, captain of the China-Croatia Joint Patrol Team, emphasized the role of the patrols in improving cooperation and providing better security for Chinese tourists. He hopes the initiative will continue strengthening relations between Chinese and Croatian police.

"The joint patrols have greatly improved police cooperation between China and Croatia," Han added.

Chinese and Croatian police officers conduct a joint patrol in Zagreb, Croatia, July 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)