Press Advisories
16. 6. 201623:55
Prime Minister Sobotka devotes in China to strategic aspects of collaboration and to specific projects in aviation, the finance sector and sport
On the first day of their official visit, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek held talks with the Minister for the National Development and Reform Commission, the Administrator of the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority and representatives of Chinese financial institutions.
“The main aim of my trip is to complete the final steps of achieving our strategy of becoming the financial and transport centre for China in Central Europe and to agree further strategic projects for the successfully developing collaboration between the Czech Republic and China”, Prime Minister Sobotka said, summarising the plans for his trip.
The Czech Prime Minister and Minister Mládek held talks with the Minister for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on bilateral cooperation on the Silk Road initiative. During the talks both parties put forward proposals for specific areas of collaboration with the aim of signing a bilateral cooperation plan at this year’s Summit of the 16+1 countries in Riga. The Czech proposal for a bilateral cooperation plan also contains a list of 14 specific projects which the Czech side considers to be high-priority. These are projects in aviation, tourism, the financial sector and the food industry.
At talks with the Administrator of the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority the Prime Minister confirmed an agreement with the Chinese side which will enable introduction of a third direct route between China and the Czech Republic. Further to the regular route from Prague to Beijing, a direct route from Prague to Shanghai will be inaugurated on 23 June, with a route from Prague – Chengdu to follow during the summer.
“We have also focussed on helping Czech manufacturers of small- and medium-sized aircraft to enter the rapidly growing Chinese airline market”, said the Prime Minister. The third topic for the talks was collaboration in the training of pilots and airline personnel. The talks were also joined by Minister of Transport Dan Ťok and Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek.
The second key priority of the Czech Republic is a strategy for a Central European financial centre for Chinese banks. Prime Minister Sobotka discussed further development of cooperation in the financial sector with the Chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission. He concentrated on support for the accession of Chinese banks to the Czech Republic, and on the possibility of developing the activities of Czech financial institutions in China. On access to the Czech market the Prime Minister also held talks with the Board Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China which this year plans to establish a branch office in the Czech Republic. At the conclusion of these talks the Prime Minister ceremonially launched the Czech section of the ICBC online trading centre. This is the third largest Chineses e-shop and the Czech Republic is only the third European country to offer its products there.
Five memoranda were signed at the end of the first working day in the presence of Prime Minister Sobotka and Mayor of Beijing Wang Anshun. The first was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Technical and Economic University of České Budějovice and Huawei, covering cooperation in science and research, innovation, advanced technologies and information exchange.
A Memorandum on Cooperation between the Czech Aerospace Society and the Chinese Society of Aeronautics was also signed, governing cooperation on the promotion and development of aviation in the Czech Republic, joint training, seminars and information exchange.
A further confirmed document was the Memorandum of Understanding between Qujing Municipal People's Government and the Sino-Czech Aviation Association, announcing collaboration in the development of civil aviation in China, among other things in pilot training and the construction of an industrial park in the city of Quijing devoted to civil aviation.
In addition, an Agreement was signed between Ti Ao Dong Li (Beijing) Sports Media and the Czech Football Association and the Joint Czech-Chinese Chamber of Mutual Cooperation on the broadcasting of the top Czech football league in China.
The final agreement to be signed was an agreement on leasing property in the CTPark Bor site to operate the e-commerce and logistics activities of 4PX Express CZ. This agreement will create some 400 jobs.
During the first day of his trip to the Chinese People's Republic Prime Minister Sobotka also visited Guoan FC, which plays in the Chinese Super League, in the company of the Mayor of Beijing. He held talks with the Mayor and senior representatives of the club on the future of Chinese football and sporting cooperation between the two countries.
As Chairman of ČSSD, Bohuslav Sobotka also met the Minister of the International Section of the Communist Party of China and discussed the possibilities for cooperation between the two parties both at bilateral level as well as within the Sino-European dialogue inside the Party of European Socialists.