Minister Gašperšič met Deputy Mayor of Ningbo Li Guanding and other representatives of the Chinese province to discuss opportunities to further enhance ties between the two ports, the Infrastructure Ministry said in a press release.

He also visited the Slovenian pavilion at the CEEC Expo trade conference and discussed with China's Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng strengthening bilateral cooperation as well as the Chinese Road and Belt initiative aiming to better connect Asia and Europe.

Further opportunities also lie within the 16+1 initiative that includes 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and China, the ministry said.

Also on the agenda was a meeting with the head of the Chinese Civil Aviation Agency Feng Zhenglin.

The pair discussed improving airline connections between the two countries as well as cooperation in the production of small aircraft. The Ajdovščina-based aircraft maker Pipistrel, which expanded production to China, was highlighted as an example of good practice.

Gašperšič will continue his travels in Kazakhstan, where he will visit the Astana Expo 2017 together with Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.