Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Czech President Milos Zeman in Prague, the Czech Republic, July 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
PRAGUE, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China and the Czech Republic are willing to join hands to constantly enrich the strategic partnership between the two countries, senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Liu Yunshan said here on Tuesday.
Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with Czech President Milos Zeman during an official goodwill visit to the Czech Republic from July 16 to 19.
Under the political guidance and strategic plan by the heads of the two states, the China-Czech strategic partnership has seen vigorous development with the political mutual trust strengthened, practical cooperation expanded and people-to-people exchanges increased, Liu said.
Liu hailed the Czech Republic's active role in participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and the "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism". The Czech Republic is the first European country to sign the cooperation plan with China to jointly build the "Belt and Road", which has an exemplary effect, he noted.
The China Investment Forum has become a branded activity under the "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism" with its gradually bigger scale and influence, bringing actual benefits to the enterprises and people of the two nations, Liu added.
The "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism" is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.
China is willing to further enrich the strategic partnership with the Czech side, and jointly explore cooperation potentials in the fields of trade, technology, culture, education, tourism and Chinese medicine, the Chinese senior official said.
Zeman, for his part, noted that the Belt and Road Initiative brought up by Chinese President Xi Jinping is a grand proposition that would connect and benefit the countries along the routes.
The Czech side attaches great importance to developing bilateral relations with China, and will fully support and push forward bilateral practical cooperation under the initiative, the Czech president said.
