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Xi aims to give Czech ties a boost

CHINA DAILY

CHINA DAILY

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PresidentXiJinping'shistoricvisittotheCzechRepublic,whichstartsonMonday,isexpectedto"renewandenergize"bilateralties,withmorethan20documentsoncooperationduetobesigned.

The49-hourtripwillbethefirststatevisitbyaChinesepresidenteithertotheCzechRepublicortheformerCzechoslovakiain67years-sincethefoundingofthePeople'sRepublicofChina.

XiisscheduledtomeetwithCzechPresidentMilosZemanandPrimeMinisterBohuslavSobotka.

Hewillalsowitnessthesigningofcooperationdocuments,attendanewsconference,talkwithCzechSenateChairmanMilanStechandChamberofDeputiesChairmanJanHamacek,andmeetwithbusinesspeople.

TheChinesedelegationwillmeetwithZemanattheLanychateau,westofPrague,wherethetwopresidentswillplantatree,accordingtotheCzechPresidentialOffice.

Xiwillbethefirstforeignpresidenttobewelcomedatthechateau,thecountryresidenceoftheCzechpresident.

InanarticlepublishedinthePravodailyonSaturday,Xicalledforjointwork"torenewandenergizethedevelopmentofChina-Czechties".

Thiswouldusherina"brightnewera"forcooperationbetweenChinaandcountriesinCentralandEasternEuropeandalsoforrelationsbetweenChinaandtheEuropeanUnion,thearticlesaid.

"AspeoplesayinChina,atreecangrowtallonlywhenitsrootsarestrong.ChinaandtheCzechRepublicshouldconsiderupgradingthebilateralrelationshipinduecourse,"Xisaidinthearticle.Thereleaseofajointdeclarationonastrategicpartnershipisexpectedtobethemainoutcomeofthevisit.Anumberofdocumentsoncooperationininvestment,finance,aviationandhealthcareareexpectedtobesigned.ZemanhassaidthatheexpectsChineseinvestmentof45billioncrowns($1.84billion).

TheCzechNewsAgencyreportedthatthejointdeclarationwillincludeenhancingcooperationonfinance,includingtheCzechRepublic'sinterestinbecomingacenterforChinesefinancialinstitutionsintheregion.

VaclavKlaus,aformerpresidentoftheCzechRepublic,saidXi'svisitcarries"historicmeaning"andshowshowseriouslythetwocountrieswanttodeveloptheirrelationship.

"NowitisuptoustokeepclosertieswithChina,"hesaid.

Inanarticlepublishedonitswebsiteearlythismonth,RadioPraguesaidtheCzechRepublicis"lookingtofinallygetabiggersliceoftheChineseinvestmentcakeafterlonglaggingbehindneighborssuchasPolandandHungary".

MaKeqing,theChineseambassadortotheCzechRepublic,saidXi'svisithasattractedagreatdealofattentionintheCzechRepublicandelsewhereinEurope.

TheambassadorsaidChinaiswillingtodeepenfinancialcooperation,encouragetheuseofbothnations'currenciesintradeandinvestment,andholdtalksonthefeasibilityofsettinguparenminbisettlementmechanisminPrague.

ChinaistheCzechRepublic'ssecond-biggesttradingpartner,nextonlytotheEuropeanUnion,whiletheCzechRepublicisChina'ssecond-biggesttradingpartnerinCentralandEasternEurope.Thetradevolumetopped$11billionlastyear.

InNovember,ChinaandtheCzechRepublicsignedamemorandumofunderstandingonjointlybuildingtheChina-proposedBeltandRoadInitiative.ItwasthefirstsuchdocumentsignedbetweenChinaandaCentralEuropeancountry.

(CHINADAILY)