Xi's Czech visit 'to yield good result'

President will also travel to the US next week to attend nuclear security summit

A state visit by President Xi Jinping to the Czech Republic next week is expected to achieve pragmatic outcomes in areas including nuclear power, finance, civil aviation and scientific research, according to analysts.

The Foreign Ministry said the visit will take place from Monday to Wednesday, and Xi will also attend the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on Thursday and Friday.

Xi has been invited to visit the Czech Republic by President Milos Zeman. The tour will be Xi's first visit to a Central European country as Chinese president.

Early in March, when the presidential office in the Czech Republic announced the visit, local media reported that Xi was "likely to be accompanied by a very strong delegation" consisting of dozens of entrepreneurs.

The Czech News Agency reported Zeman as saying earlier that he expected China to invest 45 billion crowns ($1.84 billion) in his country. About 20 agreements are due to be signed, including documents on a strategic partnership.

Xi will stay in the Czech Republic for 40 hours and will visit Prague Castle and the Lany chateau, the official presidential residences in the capital and the countryside, the news agency reported.

There have been frequent high-level Sino-Czech exchanges in recent years, and Xi has met with Zeman four times since he became president in 2013.

China is the Czech Republic's second-biggest trading partner, next only to the European Union, while the Czech Republic is China's second-biggest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. The trade volume topped $11 billion last year.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, said the Czech Republic plays a key role in Central and Eastern Europe due to its cultural richness, level of development and location.

Zeman has been seeking pragmatic cooperation with China since he became president, Wang said, adding that the bilateral ties will gain new momentum.

Wang said the visit is expected to result in pragmatic achievements on nuclear power, finance, civil aviation and scientific research.

In November, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It was the first such document signed between China and a Central European country.

After completing his Czech visit, Xi will attend the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington with leaders and representatives of about 40 other countries.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn