China's state-owned Sinopharm International pharmaceutical company is interested in building university hospitals in Split, Zagreb and Osijek, and the first meeting to that end was held at the Split University Hospital on Monday.

The future hospital in Split would spread over 150,000 m2. Investments in such hospitals in the world revolve around EUR 1.5 billion.

Health Minister Milan Kujundzic said the hospital would be owned by Croatia and that the staff would be Croatian but that the Chinese would be treated there as well, as they highly valued Croatian physicians. This would be used to repay loans, he added.

Asked by the press who would work in the new hospital given the doctor shortage in the existing Split University Hospital, Kujundzic said Croatians would work there.

Split County head Blazenko Boban said the Chinese might also invest in an emergency care centre and that they wanted the new hospital to be near the local highway and airport.

Also present at the meeting in Split was Chinese representative Bruce Juan. The meeting was a continuation of cooperation launched in April after Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Chinese PM Li Keqiang signed ten cooperation agreements in various areas.