Prague/Chengdu, China, June 21 (CTK) – The mission the Central Bohemia Region has opened in Chengdu, southwestern China, will help Czech entrepreneurs enter the local market and offer information on Central Bohemia and its attractions to potential Chinese visitors, the region’s spokeswoman told CTK yesterday.
The spokeswoman, Michaela Drobna, said the mission was opened in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province, on Monday.
Its task is to attract tourists to Central Bohemia and help Czech and Chinese firms launch cooperation, Drobna said.
For the time being, the centre’s operation will be secured by a local official who speaks English and can help not only Chinese but also Czech entrepreneurs.
“Our businesspeople need someone they can turn to, who knows the situation in China well and can help them meet a number of conditions that everyone heading for the Chinese market must cope with, including cultural and legislative differences,” Central Bohemia Region Governor Milos Petera (Social Democrats, CSSD) said.
He said Central Bohemia has reciprocally enabled its Chinese partners to use the premises of its regional information centre in Prague.
“It is a mutually advantageous deal,” Petera added.
The Central Bohemia Region has close relations with the Sichuan province. Regular flights connecting Prague and Chengdu are to be introduced as of August 2.
The regional opposition objected that the region should not focus exclusively on Chinese tourists in a situation where they make up only 3 percent of foreign visitors to the Czech Republic.
Petera, nevertheless, said Central Bohemia also has partner regions in Italy, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and France.
Czech President Milos Zeman recently praised Central Bohemia for its cooperation with China. He said the region is the seat of the Skoda Auto car maker for which China is the biggest market.
In addition, the first Czech-Chinese industrial zone has been built in the town of Nymburk. It is to welcome first investors later this year.
