Czech specialties on display at the country's CIIE pavilion
The Czech Republic Pavilion at the ongoing second China International Import Expo was packed with specialty products, eye-catching activities and intrigued crowds on the first day of the event. Czech is one of the countries of honor this year.
Radek Vondracek, president of the Chamber of Deputies, opened the national pavilion before departing with a delegation to Hangzhou and Beijing. Meetings there will be very important for Czech-China relations, he told Shanghai Daily in an exclusive interview.
Radek Vondracek, president of Czech’s Chamber of Deputies, speaks with Shanghai Daily.
The Czech pavilion is designed around the theme “The Country for the Future,” showcasing its most innovative offerings in terms of fashion, manufacturing and technology.
“It’s a great opportunity,“ he said, while also affirming the “open market” statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the second CIIE inauguration speech on Tuesday morning.
“I’m really happy about the speech, because the Czech Republic will always support open markets. We are an exporting country, so Czech industry is very sensitive to any (market) changes. We really do need partners in this area. We are always trying to convince other countries that open markets are the only way we can go,” Vondracek added.
He acknowledged that the Chinese market is very attractive to European countries, though competition is difficult.
A craftsman works on a glass piece at the Czech Republic Pavilion.
“But we are self-confident,” he said. “Czech products are high-quality, with reasonable prices. We have a lot of examples of companies which are successful. As I heard in the speech of President Xi, your middle-class is now the strongest middle-class on the planet, so it’s a great opportunity for Czech companies to fight for a spot and the market.”
Czech firms are here already, and many more are coming, as seen at the pavilion.
Petrof, the largest producer of acoustic grand and up-right pianos in Europe, garnered much attention when Czech President Milos Zeman improvised a melody at last year’s CIIE as he toured the pavilion with President Xi.
The two-seat tandem ultralight aircraft Shark Aero is a highlight at the Czech Republic Pavilion.
ŠKODA automobiles, glass and crystal products, as well as Czech beer, have long enjoyed popularity in the Chinese market, while high-tech products like the Shark Aero are rising stars.
The two-seat tandem ultralight aircraft was designed and constructed as a fast cross-country airplane using the most advanced carbon-fiber epoxy composites and optimized aerodynamics.
It received a Validation of Type Certificate from China’s Civil Aviation Administration in summer 2017.
