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Czech Republic - China Relations

Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil on 01 September 2020 concluded his speech to the Taiwanese parliament with an expression of support for Taiwan and the value of freedom. He declared in Chinese, "I am a Taiwanese," and received a standing ovation. He was echoing the "I am a Berliner" speech by US President John F. Kennedy in 1963, when he stressed solidarity with the people of West Berlin and criticized Communism. Vystrcil became the first legislative leader from a country with no diplomatic ties with Taiwan to speak in the Taiwanese parliament. Vystrcil stressed that the role of democratic parliaments around the world is not only to adopt legislation, but also to uphold the principle of democracy.

He claimed all democrats are obliged to support people who are trying to build and maintain democracy under harsh conditions. He said he was therefore very happy to have made the trip. The Czech Senate president may curry favor for himself in the Czech Republic to portray his Taiwan tour as a "journey of democracy." Vystrcil also used the visit to prove Czech's "independent diplomacy" within the EU and compliance to the US. The head of the Czech Senate told Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen that he hopes his delegation's visit to Taiwan will set a precedent for other European nations. Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil met Tsai at her presidential office on 03 September 2020.

In reaction to the 89-member Czech delegation to Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Vystrcil had "crossed a red line." He said the Czech Senate leader would "pay a heavy price" for publicly challenging Beijing's "one China policy" and encouraging supporters of Taiwanese independence. And [unsigned, hence official CCP statement] editorial in Global Times 30 August 2020 stated "the one-China principle cannot be determined by a small, remote Central European country's senate speaker, or Washington. It is determined by China's strength, the will of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, the country's forceful Anti-Secession Law and the supervision and implementation of the law by the powerful People's Liberation Army. Vystrcil is playing an insignificant role and will left nothing after the tour."

The Czech Senate president may curry favor for himself in the Czech Republic to portray his Taiwan tour as a "journey of democracy." Vystrcil also used the visit to prove Czech's "independent diplomacy" within the EU and compliance to the US. Vystrcil said there is no rule that hampers his visit to Taiwan, and he doesn't think he has crossed a red line. Vystrcil said Beijing has been promoting its "one-China" principle, but European countries like the Czech Republic have their own interpretations of this. Despite the threats, Vystrcil said the Czech Republic will not bow to Beijing's inappropriate demand and described his visit as a domestic affair. He also said the trip was made to honor the memory of the Czech Republic's first president, Vaclav Havel, who was a strong advocate of Taiwan's re-entry into the United Nations. The Western European nations criticized Beijing's wolf warrior diplomacy, advising Beijing to consider adopting mutual respect instead of threatening an EU member state.

Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib said Beijing's threats against the Senate President of the Czech Republic, Milos Vystrcil, were “completely unacceptable.” Hrib said he is glad that a number of European officials and politicians have expressed similar concern for Wang's remarks. since he took charge of the Czech capital in 2018, the mayor has had a series of tit-for-tat rows with China. Hrib first angered Beijing by asking to remove the article related to the “one-China principle” from the sister-city agreement his predecessor had signed with Beijing City. Beijing later terminated the pact that was intended to promote exchanges between Prague and Beijing and made retaliatory moves against the city, including canceling Prague Philharmonia's shows already arranged in the Chinese city. Asked about China relations, Hrib said only, “We have suffered some minor problems."

Czech President Milos Zeman and Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek have publicly expressed their opposition to the visit, saying it would jeopardize China-Czech Republic relations. But according to the country's constitution, Vystrcil is the second-highest official in the Czech Republic. At the same time, the senate is filled with the most diverse opinions in the Czech Republic as well as other Western countries. Now the Czech government and its senate are controlled by different political parties.

Chinese experts noted that the meeting will not affect the substantive exchanges between the Chinese and Czech governments, nor will it shake the friendly exchanges between China and EU countries. In 2019, trade between the island and the Czech Republic was only $800 million. In contrast, according to data from China's Ministry of Commerce, trade between the Chinese mainland and the Czech Republic totaled $29.3 billion in 2019, a 2.3 percent increase from the previous year.

China represents the Czechs’ 4th largest trading partner, 2nd largest importer and 18th biggest export market. Czech Republic and People´s Republic of China – two countries geographically very distant – have lots in common, share similar history and build a strong partnership. This partnership began more than 65 years ago when in early October 1949 Czechoslovakia (as a predecessor of the Czech Republic) recognised the newly established People´s Republic of China.

The Czech Republic, for its part, has a much more turbulent history when it comes to its approach to China. Before 2012, the country was regarded as perhaps the strongest critic of China in all of Europe. But a political reshuffling caused a nearly perfect U-turn in its diplomatic relations with China, with some Czech leaders are now trying to assume the position of China’s “bridge” or “gateway” to Europe. This is one of the most popular figures of speech about cooperation with China acriss Central Europe, as a regional investment hub, a gate to Europe, or a bridge between the East and the West. Virtually each of the 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe that partake in the summits use such phrases in their own narratives.

There are many fields in which both countries cooperate and can further enhance their cooperation. Besides economic and cultural cooperation there is also a great potential to build even stronger partnership at the highest political level, to advance regional cooperation, to promote people-to-people contacts. Both countries experience growth in numbers of students studying in the other country and also in numbers of tourists visiting the other country. The Czech Republic has streamlined and facilitated its visa policy for Chinese visa applicants to support this dynamic trend. More and more Czech Regions and Chinese Provinces establish partnerships and make the best use of it to go ahead with concrete projects of collaboration. One can count dozens of sister-cities in the Czech Republic and the People´s Republic of China.

The Sino-Czech relations go of course further back in history and one can find interesting examples of cooperation older than the existence of the People´s Republic of China. One such an example is Mr. Karel Slavícek – who was a catholic priest, Jesuit missionary, mathematician, astronomer, and musician – and came to China in 1716. His half a year long journey by ship from Europe to Macao he used for learning Chinese. He mastered the language perfectly and he is thus considered the first Czech sinologist. He spent the remaining of his life – approximately 20 years – in China and died in Beijing. He became a good acquaintance of the Emperor Kang Xi from Qing Dynasty and served inter alia as a musician in the Imperial Court. Karel Slavícek is also considered the first author of a map of the city of Beijing.

Another example of traditionally good cooperation dates to 50´s of the 20th century. Not long after the People´s Republic of China was declared, the Czechoslovak government donated and sent several hundreds of agricultural machinery to China. By the decision of the Chinese Government the donation was concentrated to one area in Hebei province where China-Czechoslovak Friendship Farm was established by the name ZHONG JIÉ.

The Czechs, together with Denmark, had been the main opponents within the EU to the lifting of the China arms embargo. However, by 2005 Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek's enthusiasm for better economic relations with China was well known. Paroubek, known as a practical negotiator but not necessarily a man of principle, is not inclined to deliver strong messages on sensitive issues, particularly when business is at stake.

Having the Czech PM visit China in June 2005 had long been a priority. The Czech PM was happy to have meetings with the "big three" in China -- the PM, President, and Speaker of the Chinese Parliament. Throughout the visit, the Czechs were impressed with how well-prepared and well-informed the Chinese were about the Czech Republic, including their efforts to include references to famous Czechs, such as composers Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana, into the conversations. The Chinese and Czech PMs discussed human rights only tangentially, when the Chinese requested that the EU lift its arms embargo, saying that it was "no longer in line with the EU - China strategic partnership."

More recently, in April 2012 Premier Wen Jiabao announced 12-point Initiative for cooperation between 16 Central and Eastern European Countries and China. The Czech Republic has welcomed the step and actively participated in a number of events organised in China as well as in Central and Eastern Europe since. The Czech Republic considers this Initiative – often called “16 + 1” – as a useful platform to enable more bilateral contacts. The frequency of our high-level contacts, very importantly expert contacts and not least the people-to-people contacts have increased in the last years.

The relations between the People's Republic of China and the Czech Republic continued to grow in 2013. The two countries maintained exchanges at all levels. In November, Premier Li Keqiang had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Jirí Rusnok on the sidelines of the Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries in Bucharest, Romania. Vice Foreign Minister and Head of the Secretariat of Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries Song Tao attended the China Investment Forum in the Czech Republic and called on President Miloš Zeman, Prime Minister Jirí Rusnok, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kahout and Chairman Bohuslav Sobotka of the Czech Social Democratic Party.

Economic cooperation and trade continued to expand. In May, Vice Chairwoman Huang Danhua of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council visited the Czech Republic; Vice Chairman Wang Shengming of the NPC Legislative Affairs Committee led a delegation of arbitration and mediation legislation of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade to the Czech Republic. In June, Vice Director Xie Xuezhi of the State Administration of Taxation and President Jiang Chaoliang of the Agriculture Bank of China paid visits to the country. In July, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs Sun Yibiao visited the Czech Republic. In September, Vice Chairman Wang Zhaoxing of China Banking Regulatory Commission, Vice Chairman Xie Jingrong of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and President Zheng Hui of the Agricultural Development Bank of China made visits to the Czech Republic. In October, Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade led a delegation to the Western China International Fair in Chengdu.

Exchanges in science, technology, health and culture were deepened. In May, the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Czech Ministry of Health signed the 2013-2016 action plan on cooperation. In June, Minister Li Wei of the Development Research Center of the State Council visited the Czech Republic; Vice Minister Chen Xiaohong of the National Health and Family Planning Commission visited the Czech Republic and attended the first China-Czech Republic Health Forum. In July, Vice Administrator Sun Huashan of the State Administration of Work Safety visited the Czech Republic. In August, President Bai Chunli of the Chinese Academy of Science visited the Czech Republic. In September, Vice Chairman Li Yi of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Vice President Zhou Xisheng of Xinhua News Agency paid visits to the Czech Republic.

Local exchanges were strengthened. In June, Vice Governor Shi Heping of Jiangsu Province visited the Czech Republic. In July, Vice Governor Ni Yuefeng of Fujian Province visited the Czech Republic. In September Vice Governor Xue Heng visited the Czech Republic. In October, Wang Yibin, member of the Standing Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee of CPC Anhui Provincial Committee visited the Czech Republic. In July, a delegation headed by Moroslav Novak, Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region, attended the Local Leaders' Meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries in Chongqing. At the end of 2013, the two countries had one pair of sister province/region.

In 2014 Czech President Miloš Zeman and Chinese President Xi Jinping met twice. First time in February on the margins of the Opening of Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Second time when in October Beijing hosted the state visit of President of the Czech Republic. Other Czech ministers – of foreign affairs, of industry and trade, of health – visited China last year. A number of high Chinese leaders travelled for a visit to the Czech Republic. Vice-premier Zhang Gaoli paid a successful visit to Prague in August 2014. He met with Czech President, Czech Prime Minister and attended China Investment Forum in Prague. And in December 2014 premiers of both countries – Bohuslav Sobotka and Li Keqiang – had fruitful discussion about bilateral cooperation at their meeting in Belgrade.

In 2015 the high intensity of high level visits continued. In April an important delegation headed by the Speaker of Parliament Jan Hamácek together with ministers of industry and trade, of regional development and of health will visit Beijing and Shanghai. Mr. Hamácek will meet with a number of Chinese leaders. His visit is of great importance for the Czech Days in Shanghai. The Czech Republic is also preparing an official visit of Chinese leaders in the first half of 2015. A strong Chinese delegation is expected to participate in Health Forum in June 2015 in Prague. In the second half of 2015 Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka is to visit China for the Summit of the Initiative for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe.

In 2019 the Czech Republic sought to develop a comprehensive Czech-Chinese strategic dialogue. In February 2019, consultations of Deputy Foreign Ministers took place in Beijing. The October meeting of the Czech-Chinese Joint Economic Committee, which met after a four-year pause, was also important. Both Czech President Miloš Zeman and Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament Radek Vondrácek informed their Chinese counterparts about the interest of the Czech Republic in organizing the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee.

The President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman paid a visit to China from 25th to 28th April 2019 to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and to participate at the Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. The President was accompanied by five ministers including the Vice Premier Richard Brabec and a numerous business delegation. Several important events took place during the visit including the opening reception on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Czech-China relations, business forum and leaders’ roundtable on financial cooperation. The ministers held bilateral negotiations with their Chinese counterparts. Wide range of contracts and agreements were signed between Czech and Chinese counterparts. Furthermore, the President attended the official opening of the Beijing International Horticultural EXPO 2019.