China and Slovakia have announced a new strategic partnership aimed at expanding trade, investment, and green development.
During a visit to Beijing, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed areas for collaboration, including new energy, logistics, and infrastructure. With a focus on sustainable development and innovation, the two countries plan to explore green technology opportunities together.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the two countries had decided to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. President Xi said this during his meeting with Minister Robert Fico, adding that it will inject new and strong momentum into their bilateral cooperation.
The strengthened partnership reflects Slovakia’s move to diversify its alliances beyond the European Union and strengthen ties with China, its largest non-EU trade partner.
A Joint Statement by Slovakia and China was released, part 2.4 of which said:
“The participants will strengthen cooperation on green development in such fields as new materials, new infrastructure, clean energy, and sustainable development. The participants are ready to extensively explore and cultivate cooperation opportunities in green technology, recycling, waste treatment and other such fields. The participants are ready to strengthen exchanges on CO₂ emission reduction technologies and work together on the diversification of energy resource supply, thereby enhancing energy security and promoting the transition to sustainable low-carbon energy sources such as solar, vehicles, geothermal and wind power. The governments, research institutions, universities, private enterprises of the two countries will actively participate in the above-mentioned cooperation.”
Prime Minister Fico’s visit to China will bring significant and positive political results,” Zhao Junjie, senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told China’s daily Global Times.
“Fico’s visit to China holds significant and positive political implications,” the political scientist said, adding that “over the past few years, he [Fico] has adopted a pragmatic and friendly approach toward China, making Slovakia-China cooperation at a strategic level a model among Central European nations.”
“Fico’s visit underscores his pragmatic approach with the goal of strengthening economic and technological ties with China,” Zhao continued.
Some Central and Eastern European countries, including Slovakia, “have a strong desire to collaborate with China in new energy sectors, especially in electric vehicles and battery production, and they remain open to Chinese investment,” the expert noted.
“Given Europe’s current economic downturn and high unemployment rate, attracting Chinese investment and fostering high-tech cooperation are crucial for future development and will boost local economies,” Zhao stated. “Against the backdrop of trade frictions, political trust between China and the EU has somewhat weakened.”
“Some countries face challenges in maintaining strategic autonomy amid great power competition, particularly in light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the EU’s increasing alignment with the US. Therefore, Fico’s visit to China holds particular significance.”
According to the Chinese political scientist, Slovakia and Hungary “stand out among Central and Eastern European nations for their pragmatic approach toward China, and high-level interactions are vital for improving China-Europe relations.”
Sources:
- Tass, Nov 1, 2024. https://tass.com/world/1865791
- Talks Show Central, Nov 2, 2024. https://youtu.be/8-uU98ffimI
- China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nov 1, 2024. ‘Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Slovak Republic on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership’. https://www.mfa.gov.cn/…/gb/202411/t20241101_11520047.html
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