Xi urges fostering sense of community of common destiny with Czech Republic

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Czech President Milos Zeman (right) attend the China-Czech Economic Roundtable in Prague, the Czech Republic, March 30, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

PRAGUE - Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday that China and the Czech Republic should establish a sense of community of common destiny to jointly address the challenges in global economy and realize common development through strengthened cooperation and coordination.

With a broad base of overlapping interests, the two countries should enhance coordination, further synergize their advantages, innovate in the cooperation model and give full play to their complementarity, Xi said when addressing the China-Czech Economic Roundtable.

"The peoples of both our countries love peace and pursue win-win cooperation, which serves as a solid foundation for the rapid development of practical cooperation in economy and trade between our countries," said the president.

With two-way trade continuing to grow and mutual investment expanding and covering more cooperation areas, Xi said bilateral cooperation is accelerating with sound progress, encouraging enterprises of both countries to seize the opportunity and actively promote the healthy and continuous development of China-Czech practical cooperation.

The world economy is still undergoing profound adjustment in a complex and changing situation. The Chinese economy has entered into a period of new normal, with its sound fundamentals and long-term trajectory remaining unchanged, said Xi.

Stressing that China remains and will continue to be a major driving force for global economic growth, Xi said China's stability and development is a great contribution to the world.

The Belt and Road Initiative raised by China accords with peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, which are themes of the time, the president said, adding that the Czech Republic, an important country along the Silk Road Economic Belt, together with China, are faced with enormous development opportunity.

The Chinese president is in the Czech Republic for a three-day state visit, as China seeks closer China-Czech ties and stronger relations with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

It is the first state visit by a Chinese president in 67 years since the two countries established diplomatic ties, and also Xi's maiden visit to the CEE region since he assumed presidency in 2013 and his first trip to Europe this year.