LJUBLJANA -- Chinese electronics company Hisense opened a research center in Slovenia on Monday, in a ceremony attended by the country's president Natasa Pirc Musar.

The center in Velenje in easter Slovenia is worth some 2.1 million euros, and will develop household appliances for all of Europe. It will also produce kitchen and premium appliances for the global market. Hisense is one of Slovenia's largest exporters.

"Innovation is a Hisense core value, and research and development a key pillar on which our company's success is based," said Han Jianmin, CEO of Hisense Europe.

"The innovation center will enable us to build our competitiveness in the future," said Bostjan Pecnik, board member for Hisense Europe.

Currently, Hisense Europe employs 610 experts in the fields of research and development, design and product management, with 470 of these in Slovenia. This year, Hisense Europe will invest some 45 million euros in research and development, almost 20 percent more than last year.

President Musar welcomed the fact that the company is developing green technologies, and also called upon Slovenian companies to increase their investments in China.

China is Slovenia's fourth largest import partner. About 9 percent of all Slovenia's imports came from China last year.