Xi vows to promote stable, far-reaching China-Czech ties with Zeman

Chinese President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with Czech President Milos Zeman on Monday（Jan. 9, 2023）. Xi said he and Zeman have held multiple in-person meetings and phone talks over the past decade and conducted in-depth exchanges in areas such as bilateral ties and governance experience, elevating the China-Czech relations to a strategic partnership. China attaches great importance to the development of the China-Czech relations and regards the Czech Republic as an important strategic partner, Xi said, expressing willingness to work with the Czech side to promote stable and far-reaching bilateral relations and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
Zeman said he totally agrees with Xi's views on China-Czech relations and cherishes his friendship with Xi. The Czech side is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to strengthen cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and investment and overcome the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic to resume personnel exchanges, aiming to make bilateral ties show great vitality, Zeman said.

On January 5, 2023, Ms. Jitka Lidarikova, from the Czech Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) Center, introduced the history and current situation of the center, as well as the practice of TCM, the diseases for which TCM proves effective with relative advantages and TCM status in medical insurance in the Czech Republic at the weekly TCM LED talk led by the International Cooperation Office of Guang'anmen Hospital. 

Czech people have a strong demand for TCM. Since receiving information from the English website of the hospital, Czech Traditional Chinese Medicine Center has been actively contacting the Beijing TCM English-speaking Helpline, hoping to establish cooperative relations with hospital in TCM practice, TCM education and other fields.
In view of the optimization of COVID-19's prevention and control measures, domestic and international exchanges are expected to return to the pre- epidemic level as soon as possible. The International Cooperation Office has responded positively by actively organizing online exchange.
After Ms. Jitka Lidarikova's speech, Cui Yongqiang, director of the International Cooperation Office of the hospital, gave several suggestions: 1. Both sides can carry out telemedicine; 2. The hospital may provide online consultation and promotion of TCM culture for potential Czech patients; 3. If there are enough patients in the center, both sides can carry out scientific research, and so on.