Prague, Oct 13 (CTK) – Prague might become the centre of Chinese financial institutions for Europe, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday.
“There is a big chance for Prague to become a centre of Chinese financial institutions that would serve the countries of Central and Eastern Europe but also the European Union,” Sobotka said.
Bank of China, one of the biggest state-run banks in China, will open its branch in Prague by the end of the year.
Wang also met President Milos Zeman and his Czech counterpart, Lubomir Zaoralek, yesterday.
Wang and Zeman discussed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Prague planned for 2016.
Zaoralek said he talked about human rights with Wang. Both of them are interested in developing this dialogue, he added.
Wang said the Chinese representatives never reject a dialogue on human rights with other countries.
Sobotka and Wang talked about Sobotka’s visit to China scheduled for November.
Sobotka said a large business delegation would accompany him to Beijing.
During the visit, further cooperation in education, health care and trade may be agreed on.
Sobotka said he would show interest in a second direct flight between Prague and some Chinese city.
In September, a direct flight between Beijing and Prague started operating.
Speeding up of the visa-issuing procedure was agreed on, Sobotka said.
Zeman and Wang talked about the building of a new Silk Road, in which Czech railway construction firms could participate, Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said.
“Within the bilateral relations, there is a great potential for the development of trade, tourism, cooperation in infrastructure and new technologies,” Ovcacek said.
Zaoralek said Wang is the first Chinese foreign minister to come to the Czech Republic in 14 years.
He said he agreed with Wang that last year was highly successful for the bilateral relations.
Zaoralek said his visit to China organised last year launched a new era in the Chinese-Czech relations.
Sobotka will meet China’s top representatives and participate in a meeting of the 16+1 group, or the Central and Eastern European Countries and China, during his November visit.
According to CTK’s information, the 16+1 meeting is to be held in the Czech Republic next year, with China’s Premier Li Keqiang participating.
The highest Chinese politician to visit the Czech Republic was Premier Wen Jiabao in December 2005 and May 2009.
The Chinese-Czech relations have been intensifying in the last few months, especially thanks to Zeman.
The Czech president and government were criticised for preferring economic affairs to human rights protection by the right-wing opposition and some NGOs. International organisations and Western countries point to the violations of human rights in China.
President Zeman has visited China twice. In September, he was the only EU top politician to take part in a Chinese military parade in Beijing. A number of Chinese investments were announced during his visit last month.
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