China-Czech cooperation has great potential: ambassador

China-Czech ties have a huge potential for cooperation, Ma Keqing, Chinese ambassador to the Czech Republic, wrote in an article published in the People’s Daily before Chinese President Xi Jinping kicks off his Czech visit next Monday.

Xi’s visit will strengthen the bonds between the two peoples, he added. Xi’s three-day visit will be the first by a Chinese head of state since the two nations established diplomatic ties 67 years ago.

Many Chinese people hold special affection toward the Czech Republic, one of first nations to establish diplomatic ties with China, Ma wrote in the article.

After the two established ties, many Czech experts and engineers traveled thousands of miles to aid the nascent China in its development. A friendship farm and machine tool plant built in the 1950s and 1960s highlighted cooperation and friendship between the two sides.

The recent years have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges. Xi and his counterpart Milos Zeman have met four times to chart course for bilateral ties. Zeman also attended China’s commemorations of the victory against Japanese aggression last September as the only head of state from the EU.

Economic and trade ties have also reached an unprecedented high level. By the end of last year, Chinese investment in the Czech Republic soared to $1.6 billion from $200 million two years ago, while the Czech Republic’s investment in China totaled $1.8 billion.

Last year, the Czech Republic increased its weight as a key partner of China in Central and Eastern Europe after inking a bilateral agreement to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

As almost all regions in the nation have established partnerships with Chinese cities and provinces, and local exchanges and cooperation in culture, technology, education, tourism and healthcare have mushroomed.

The number of Chinese travelers to the Central and Eastern European nation has increased by over 30 percent annually with the launch of direct flights between Beijing and Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.

Traditional Chinese medicine, Spring Festival themed temple fairs, and other elements of the Chinese culture have gained more popularity among the local people.

These achievements in politics, economy and culture have brought bilateral ties to a new stage with rich dividends.

For their friendship, an apple tree can be regarded as a witness. The story dates back to 2014 when Zeman presented Xi an apple sapling as a gift during his visit to China. He explained at the time that the tree signifies the bilateral collaboration will take root, bloom and bear fruits in China.

Xi then called for both sides to nurture cooperation and reap harvest at an early date, saying that “cooperation between China and the Czech Republic is like a forest of apple trees, and we should both pick apples and plant more young trees”.

The apple tree has become a recurring theme in the discussions of the relationship ever since. Ma disclosed that during this visit, Xi will present Zeman a young tree as a return gift.