Wang Yi meets with Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister, on Saturday met with Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka at the latter's request while attending the Munich Security Conference.

Wang stated that China and the Czech Republic share a tradition of friendship, noting that the Czech Republic was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China.

However, he said, China-Czech relations have experienced twists and turns in recent years, which does not serve the interests of either side. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Czech strategic partnership, Wang noted. China appreciates the new Czech government's active commitment to improving relations with China and is willing to work in the same direction as the Czech side to bring bilateral relations back to a track of healthy development as soon as possible, he added.

Wang said China hopes the Czech side will establish a correct perception of China, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and respect China's core interests. Both sides should encourage exchanges across various fields and levels to enhance mutual understanding and trust, building a foundation for pragmatic cooperation to make up for lost time.

Macinka said that China is a global power. The Czech side treasures the traditional friendship between the two nations and looks forward to taking the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership as an opportunity to open a new chapter in bilateral relations, he added.

Macinka said the Czech side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and respects and supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Czech side looks forward to improving relations with China, resuming high-level exchanges and advancing cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, tourism and cultural exchange, he added.