Croatian-born Ana Vulic and her husband Talman Damtare, a native of Togo in Africa, are both employees of the bridge project. Ana said that thanks to China, she and her husband met and fell in love. The Peljesac Bridge enabled them to work together and witnessed the hard work and dedication of the Chinese builders.

Selma Kundson, a Croatian who has been working on the bridge project for nearly four years, said she was very excited about the opening of the bridge, as it was the common wish of her deceased grandfather and father to have the north and south of the country connected.

"I imagine that after many years, I will proudly tell my children and grandchildren the story of my participation in the Peljesac Bridge project as a builder," she said.

Lu Shengwei, the representative of the China Road and Bridge Corporation Croatia Branch, said that cooperation, a quest for mutual benefits, and a win-win approach have always been the business philosophy of the bridge project.

The consortium has signed more than 1,200 purchase contracts and orders with Croatian companies with a cumulative value of over 166 million Croatian kunas ($23.5 million) along with 91 business subcontracts whose value has exceeded 220 million kunas. This fully complies with the principle of extensive consultation and cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.