It is quite unusual for the head of government of a European country to stay in China for consecutive days.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Slovakia, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, was invited to visit China.

昨天下午，习近平主席会见菲佐，Decided to upgrade China-Sri Lanka relations to a strategic partnership，强调从政治互信、务实合作、人文交流、国际合作四个方面推动中斯关系提质升级。****

Slovak Prime Minister Fico.

由于今年5月遭遇枪击事件，菲佐原计划在6月进行的访华计划推迟至今。（另见本号文章《Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!》）

Before his departure, Fico stated that this was the most important visit of the year.

A European leader who adheres to strategic autonomy.

Since taking office as Prime Minister, Fico has held the position four times, earning him the nickname of the "Everlasting Pillar" in Slovakian and even Eastern European political circles.

Fico has long been known for his nationalist stance, displaying a more Eurosceptic, anti-American, and pro-Russian foreign policy attitude compared to his main political rivals.

菲佐同匈牙利总理欧尔班、塞尔维亚总统武契奇一道，被欧洲“主流政坛”视为三大“刺头”。（另见本号文章《The EU is Sour, the US is Anxious, Just Because He is "Awake in the World"》）

Questioning the United States.

Shortly after his first election as Prime Minister, Fico strongly criticized the role the United States played in the independence of Kosovo, vehemently opposed the construction of new ballistic missile defense and radar systems at U.S. military bases in the Czech Republic and Poland, and pushed for the withdrawal of Slovak troops from Iraq.

After returning to power, Fico has been even more outspoken in opposing the EU's "following the U.S. to support Ukraine" and opposing sanctions against Russia, making him a "thorn in the eye" for the U.S. and EU countries.

In the month of year, Fico won the parliamentary elections. The image shows him celebrating his victory after the partial counting of votes.

近期，菲佐更是强硬表态，拒绝了泽连斯基的“胜利计划”，明确指出乌克兰加入北约可能会为“第三次世界大战”埋下伏笔。（另见本号文章"Two Days, Four Countries, Zelensky is Really in a Hurry..."）

Get Closer to China.

Meanwhile, Fico has repeatedly made it clear in public that he steadfastly upholds the One-China policy, particularly on the issue of Taiwan, where the Slovak authorities have significantly reduced interactions with the Taiwan region since Fico took office.

Recently, despite China's opposition, the EU raised objections to a UN resolution. However, all members of the Slovak ruling coalition refrained from expressing support, maintaining a neutral and cautious stance on this issue.

不久前欧洲对华电动汽车关税案的表决中，斯洛伐克同样毫不犹豫地投出反对票。（另见本号文章《Disagree! Not Accept!》）

In the context of complex geopolitical situations, Fico's insistence on visiting China fully demonstrates the mature strategic vision of the Fico government and reflects that Slovakia is an important force in promoting the EU's "strategic autonomy."

A Journey of Cooperation Towards the Future.

Fico's visit to China this time has three main objectives.

Promote Peace.

Fico has long expressed to the outside world his expectations of China on the Russia-Ukraine issue. During this visit, Fico stated his willingness to join the "Friends of Peace" group on the Ukrainian crisis and is ready to work together with China to contribute to the political resolution of the crisis.

It is evident that Fico's visit is not aimed at drawing China into any particular camp, but rather hopes to work with China to advance the regional peace process.

Bridge Differences.

The automotive industry is one of the pillars of Slovakia's national economy, with significant cooperation between the country and China in the automotive sector. If a tariff war were to break out between China and the European Union, it would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Slovakia's automotive industry.

Therefore, Fico opposes the proposal to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and plans to have its battery manufacturer build an electric vehicle battery factory in Slovakia with our country's Guoxuan High-Tech, which will create jobs locally.

Fico's visit to China will facilitate the negotiation process for Chinese automakers to establish production bases in Slovakia, and actively promote the EU to properly address differences through dialogue and consultation, with the aim of fostering healthy development in China-EU relations.

Slovak Prime Minister Fico.

Seek Development.

As Fico mentioned, the main focus of this visit is the economic agenda.

The Fico government places great emphasis on "economic diplomacy" aimed at promoting exports and attracting foreign investment, not only increasing the number of global economic diplomats but also establishing new embassies in Asia and Africa, viewing China as a major economic partner of Slovakia.

Fico deeply realizes that China treats friends with sincerity, which is far superior to the "free trade" of the United States and the West with their double standards.

During this visit, Fico brought along a large business delegation, demonstrating a strong desire to develop economic and trade relations with China.

Over the past decade of jointly building the Belt and Road, Slovakia has become China's fourth-largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe.

Fico's visit will undoubtedly further unleash the development potential of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, opening a new window for China to connect with CEEC cooperation. 文中图片源自网络

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