Babiš plans spring trip to China with Havlíček

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced on Monday, following a cabinet meeting, that he intends to make an official visit to China in spring 2024, tentatively in April, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček. According to Babiš, the trip will go ahead provided it can deliver "some major breakthrough."

The prime minister said it would make sense to restore visa-free travel between Czechia and China. "A direct Shanghai–Prague flight would certainly help too," Babiš noted.

He also highlighted the significant trade imbalance between the two countries: China traditionally sells Czechia thirteen times more goods than Czechia sells to China, which he said represents a huge opportunity for Czech businesses. "It's important for our companies that we visit China at the government level," Babiš said.

Last week, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD) already travelled to China. Babiš called that trip a success, saying it showed that China is interested in restoring relations with Czechia to the allied level they once had. During his visit, Okamura reportedly discussed the possibility of opening a direct air link with Shanghai with the Chinese side.

At the press conference following the cabinet meeting, journalists also asked about the fate of a Czech citizen detained in China. Babiš replied that the matter is being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that the detained man and his family had asked not to comment on the situation publicly. The Czech national was detained in China in July while on a private trip.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz