Xi's visit to boost Sino-Czech cooperation, friendship: People's Daily

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day visit to the Czech Republic beginning on March 28 will bring bilateral cooperation and friendship for a brighter future, a commentary published on Thursday's edition of the People's Daily said.

Hailing the visit, the first one by China's head of state to the Czech Republic since the two nations established diplomatic relations 67 years ago, as significant, the commentary said that the people in both countries are expecting the visit to push the Sino-Czech relations to a new level.

Bilateral ties have entered a new phase that witnesses the fastest development with the most fruitful results in history, according to the commentary.

So far, the Czech Republic has become the second biggest trading partner of China in the Central and Eastern European region, and China has been the Czech Republic's second biggest trading partner in the world, only next to the European Union (EU). In 2015, two-way trade topped 11 billion U.S. dollars.

The commentary said China's Belt and Road initiative has presented unprecedented opportunities for the cooperation between the two nations, boosting the integration of their major development strategies, plans and policies as well as practical cooperation.

It also hoped the two nations will broaden their people-to-people exchange as China and the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) are celebrating a year of people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

The fast development of Sino-Czech ties accompanied the tide of strengthened cooperation between China and the CEEC, according to the commentary.

It said Xi's visit will also inject new vitality into China-CEEC cooperation, calling on the two sides to cherish opportunities of joint development.