The memorandum of understanding was signed in Beijing by State Secretary Jure Leben and representatives of China's National Development and Reform Commission.

The document is to boost economic cooperation after Slovenia and China signed an umbrella memorandum of understanding in Hungary's Budapest in November.

The two countries will now define vital areas of cooperation and priority projects, and encourage investment and financial services.

Leben also visited the port in Ningbo, where me met representatives of the port authority, and visited the Jiangsu province for more meetings.

According to the ministry, Slovenia supports China's Silk Road initiative, a framework for Europe and China's transport cooperation.

Slovenia would like transport routes along the Silk Road to get connected with transport corridors which cross Slovenia.

There are two such corridors: the Mediterranean corridor, running from Ukraine via Hungary to Slovenia, Italy, France and Spain, which is already a part of the European TEN-T network, and the Alpine-Balkan corridor, running from Austria via Slovenia on to Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey.

As for sea links along the Silk Road, the ministry pointed to the Slovenian port of Koper's important geostrategic position, saying a ship's travel time from China can be by up to seven days shorter if it sails into Koper instead of one of the ports in northern Europe.

The ministry also said that Slovenia would like to intensify cooperation in air travel.