Slovak Republic - China Relations
Slovakia became a member of NATO on March 29, 2004 and joined the EU in May 2004. Slovakia is
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova on 02 September 2020 criticized China's opposition to Czech Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil's high-profile visit to the island of Taiwan. The Czech politician, disregarding the opposition of China and the Czech government, paid a visit to the island of Taiwan starting Sunday to support Taiwan secessionists, and even instigated other foreign countries to follow suit, which is blatant provocation, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference during his visit to Europe. After Wang reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan question, Caputova said that Slovakia stands by the Czech Republic, calling China's firm response to Vystrcil's visit "unacceptable." She called on "dialogue and mutual respect" between China and the EU.
The Slovak Republic cooperates with China, not only bilaterally but primarily in the EU-China format and in the 17+1 format that is complementary to the cooperation of the European Union and China. Slovakia is interested in a pragmatic and results-oriented economic cooperation with China. Slovakia has the potential to approach the Chinese market with quality. This is true for the sphere of engineering as well as for agricultural products.
"Slovakia is permanently interested in developing friendly and constructive relations with the People’s Republic of China. Our ambition is to continue with an intensive cooperation in the areas of politics, trade-and-investment and innovation with an emphasis on science and research.” These are the words of Miroslav Lajcák, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, who received today (17 December 2019) the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Lin Lin, on occasion of the ambassador’s concluding his diplomatic mission to the Slovak Republic.
Until recently, Slovakia was the Central European nation with the least interest in China. Slovakia attracted some international attention when its president met with the Dalai Lama, which obviously resulted in harsh criticism from China. The country’s prime minister was one of the very few heads of government missing at the 16+1 summit in Suzhou in 2016 and Slovakia also did not send any high-level delegation to the Belt and Road summit in Beijing in 2017.
However, Slovakia now is the only country in the region to have a specific “China strategy” – and it might also receive some major Chinese investments soon. Slovakia in the EU internal talks argues that there is a much wider area where EU‘s and China‘s interests can well complement each other. Besides trade and investments we see huge potential for enhanced cooperation in security and defense. Slovakia is also keen to go into new areas, such as urbanization, rural development, cyber security, green growth, renewable energy, and sustainability through innovation.
Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova in Bratislava, capital of the Slovak Republic on 11 July 2019, pledging to enhance bilateral ties based on political mutual trust. Noting this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Wang called on China and Slovakia to further deepen political mutual trust and practical cooperation on the basis of respecting each other's core interests and major concerns. Wang said that the China-Slovakia relations are facing an important historic opportunity, and his visit carries the hopes of "extending friendship, rebuilding trust and seeking cooperation."
European positions differ on some foreign policy topics, for example vis-à-vis Hong Kong and the South China Sea. However, the Slovak Republic's role is to have a dialogue. In doing so the Slovak Republic cannot forget the need for the search for a consensus in multilateral solutions to current challenges, such as the protection of the environment, digital transformation, the agenda of promoting free trade and suppressing protectionism, and providing peace and security in the world. China is an important partner for the Slovak Republic and the European Union.
Slovakia and China have a rich and long history of productive and stable relations. It is worth reminding that in 1949 the then Czechoslovakia was among the first to officially recognize the new China. Both Slovakia and the EU perceive China as a traditionally valued partner and friend as well as an important regional player co-forming the Asian-Pacific region similarly to EU’s ‘gravity’ and ‘soft power’ in the European and Euro-Asian space.
Slovakia clearly recognizes China’s rising clout in today’s multipolar world. Slovakia values China’s balanced and measured attitude showing respect for thorough analysis avoiding shortcut solutions and preferring rational decisions. China is of key importance to preserving the international system based on multilateralism and peaceful mediation. China is also an essential partner in tackling global challenges. All aspects of global sustainability – be it security, economy, development or climate – are unthinkable without China’s constructive contribution.
In 2013, the friendly relations and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Slovak Republic made steady progress with close exchanges at all levels and deepening friendship. The two countries maintained frequent high-level exchanges. In February, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu visited Slovakia. In September, NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang paid an official good-will visit to Slovakia. He met with President Ivan Gasparovic and Prime Minister Robert Fico and held talks with Speaker of the National Council Pavol Paska. In November, Premier Li met with Prime Minister Fico while attending the Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries in Bucharest, Romania. In July, Lubomir Vazny, Deputy Prime Minister for Investments of Slovakia, visited China.
The two countries maintained exchanges in various areas and achieved fruitful results in their practical cooperation. By 2013, Slovakia's export to and trade surplus with China was the largest among CEE countries. In September, Peter Burian, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, led a delegation to China for the tenth session of Sino- Slovak Intergovernmental Joint Commission of Economic Cooperation. He Xian, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, and Niu Dun, Vice Minister of Agriculture, visited Slovakia respectively. The senior delegation of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, a delegation from Hubei Province and several other delegations at the provincial or municipal level also visited Slovakia. The Supreme Court of Slovakia invited Chinese judges to Slovakia for training. An exhibition of traditional Chinese painting entitled "Art Dialogue Between China and Europe" was held and the China Youth National Orchestra also staged performances in Slovakia. The two countries successfully held the sixth session of the Sino-Slovak Joint Commission of Cooperation in Science and Technology. By 2013, the two sides had established three pairs of sister provinces/ states or cities.
Slovakia cooperated with China under the framework of Cooperation between China and CEE Countries. It sent senior officials from the local and central governments to China for the Local Leaders' Meeting of China and CEE Countries, economic and trade forums, cultural forums, highlevel dialogues on education and other important events.
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