Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis met with visiting Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan in Prague, Czech Republic on Nov 19.

Sun said President Xi Jinping and President Milos Zeman have met seven times in the past five years, continuously leading the development of Sino-Czech relations in the new era.

She also said pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has been fruitful under the Belt and Road Initiative and the 16+1 Cooperation framework. As an exhibitor at the first China International Import Expo, Czech promotional activities at the exhibition have provided a new opportunity for the two countries to deepen cooperation in the fields of economics, trade, investment and tourism.

2019 will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic, Sun said, adding China is willing to accelerate strategic synergy on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment, consolidating cooperation on education, health, sports, culture and tourism to bring tangible benefits to the two peoples, and strengthening social and public opinion foundation for the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Zeman said that he and President Xi Jinping visited the Czech booth at the first China International Import Expo and conducted in-depth communication.

Deepening the friendly cooperation between the two countries is a hope shared by the two sides, and conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples, Zeman said. The Czech side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in the field of people-to-people exchanges, especially in football and ice hockey, and consolidate the traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.

Sun also exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in people-to-people exchanges while meeting with Babis, with broad consensus reached.