——— Nations pledge to upgrade 75-year bilateral relations
BEIJING: President Xi Jinping and visiting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico decided on Friday to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership as China and the Central European country are committed to upgrading their 75-year-old relationship with enhanced mutual trust, expanded practical cooperation and closer people -to-people exchanges.
When meeting with Fico at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi lauded the flourishing development of the China-Slovakia traditional friendship, saying that bilateral cooperation across various fields has yielded fruitful results benefiting the people of both countries.
Fico, accompanied by a large delegation of ministers and business representatives, started a six-day official visit to China from Thursday.
He will also visit Hefei, Anhui province, to tour the production facilities of an electric vehicle battery component manufacturing company, and Shanghai for the opening of the 7th China International Import Expo, aiming “to deepen Slovak-Chinese bilateral relations and enhance mutual economic cooperation “, according to the Slovak Prime Minister’s Office.
Calling Fico “an old friend and good friend” of the Chinese people, Xi said: “I believe that with our joint efforts, the China-Slovakia relationship will enter the fast lane, open up a new chapter and move toward a higher level. “
Bilateral trade between China and Slovakia has significantly increased in recent years, with the trade volume growing from $3.75 billion in 2010 to $12.15 billion in 2022, according to the Foreign Ministry. Slovakia is now China’s fourth-largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe, while China is Slovakia’s largest trading partner outside the European Union.
To expand practical cooperation, Xi called on the two sides to strengthen bilateral cooperation in such areas as new energy, transport and logistics, as well as infrastructure construction. China encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Slovakia and Slovak companies are welcome to explore the Chinese market, he said.
The Chinese president encouraged the two countries to carry out dialogue among political parties, local communities, youth, think tanks and media outlets, and better utilize the Confucius Institute and other platforms for closer people-to-people exchanges. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
