The Chinese guest also appreciated the quality in Chinese-Slovak relations, established more than 60 years ago when the country had been part of the former Czechoslovakia, as well as the new period of bilateral contacts following the establishment of the sovereign Slovak Republic twenty years ago. “That Slovakia is the first stop on my European tour only proves the importance China attributes to our mutual relations,” Zhang Dejiang said.

“Economic cooperation between China and Slovakia has constantly been moving forward and up. Many Chinese electronics and computer companies have firmly established themselves on the Slovak market and, equally, a lot of Slovak car producers successfully import their products to China,” the Chairman of the National People’s Congress noted. According to Zhang Dejiang, China is interested in reinforcing its economic and trade cooperation with Slovakia, adding that the excellent geographical location within Europe, qualified and cheap labour are among Slovakia's key competitive advantages. He further added that China, with population of 1.35 billion, wanted to further expand its investments in Europe, including Slovakia.

President Ivan Gašparovič said Slovakia was interested in intensifying bilateral cooperation in other areas as well, for example, in science, education, culture and sport. “The People’s Republic of China is a global superpower and a strategic partner to the European Union,” the Slovak President said. The world has recently been going through numerous changes and conflicts, therefore, the Slovak President believes, it is important to discuss security issues with China, as well. “We are witnesses to social and political turmoil, in the Arabic countries, in particular," he said in this respect and asked the China’s top official for his position on the recent development in Syria. “Slovakia is among those EU countries that advocate a diplomatic solution to the current situation in Syria,” President Gašparovič pointed out.

“It is important that we maintain the role of the UN Security Council, the body that shall seek ways to prevent conflicts and look for peaceful solutions,” Zhang Dejiang said. In his opinion, the recent developments in Arabic countries should not be called an ‘Arab spring’ but rather an ‘Arab winter’. “What is now happening in Syria is their internal issue which the Syrian people should resolve by themselves,” he said. He noted, however, that China disapproved of the use of chemical weapons and anyone who would use them should be held responsible. “We believe that the issue should be resolved by political means, without any military interventions from the outside,” the Chinese official added. The Slovak President emphasised that Slovakia condemned the use of weapons of mass destruction and was supportive of a peaceful solution. “Interventions may sometimes be necessary, but we must know their possible consequences first,” Ivan Gašparovič concluded.