BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday.
Xi recalled that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Slovakia, and said that after three-quarters of a century of development, the traditional friendship between the two countries is full of vitality, and cooperation in various fields is yielding fruitful results that bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries.
"We have decided to elevate Sino-Slovak relations to a strategic partnership that meets the future development needs of both countries and will give a new and strong impetus to bilateral cooperation," Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with Slovakia to open a new chapter in bilateral relations and raise bilateral ties to a higher level.
Xi said the two countries must deepen mutual political trust, and urged the two sides to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, adhere to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and meet their core interests and major concerns. In order to expand pragmatic cooperation, he said, the two countries should make good use of the newly-established inter-governmental cooperation committee to enhance synergies in new energy, transport and logistics, infrastructure construction and water resources management. China encourages its enterprises to invest in Slovakia and welcomes Slovak enterprises to explore the market in China, he said.
Xi said the two countries should promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He urged the two sides to conduct communication and dialogue among political parties, local governments, youth, think tanks and media, and make good use of platforms such as the Confucius Institutes to consolidate the foundation of public opinion for Sino-Soviet friendship across generations.
China has decided to grant Slovak citizens 15-day visa-free entry, Xi added.
Xi noted that the two countries need to strengthen international cooperation. In a complex and fast-changing world, he said, the two sides should promote genuine multilateralism, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, embrace a vision of global governance characterized by extensive consultation, common contribution and shared benefits, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China attaches great importance to China-EU relations, Xi said, adding that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU and China-EU relations should show proper maturity and stability.
Xi expressed the hope that the new EU authorities would adhere to the orientation of the China-EU partnership, adopt a positive and pragmatic approach, manage differences properly and refrain from politicising economic and trade issues.
Fico said Slovakia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and recognises the government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government representing all of China. Slovakia opposes any interference in the internal affairs of other countries and is committed to respecting each country's choice of development path.
Slovakia appreciates China's decision to grant Slovak citizens 15-day visa-free travel, Fico said. Slovakia supports the facilitation of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and strengthen cooperation in areas such as new energy and infrastructure, he added.
Slovakia appreciates the three main global initiatives put forward by President Xi and is willing to strengthen exchanges with China in the area of state management experience and actively support the EU's commitment to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, Fico said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukrainian crisis. Xi laid out China's consistent principle and position and praised Slovakia for taking an objective, rational and impartial stance. He welcomed Slovakia, as well as other like-minded countries, to play a positive role in promoting peace talks.
Fico said that China's position on the Ukrainian crisis is fair, objective and constructive. Slovakia is willing to join the Friends for Peace group on the Ukrainian crisis and to work with China to contribute to a political settlement of the crisis.
After the meeting, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership.
chinadaily/ gnews - RoZ
English 
Czech