After returning from China, Helena Kočová, editor of Our Pravda and China specialist, said she had the opportunity to directly observe the negotiations during the so-called two sessions, which she described as the biggest political event in the country. According to her, long-term planning is one of the main differences between China and Europe. „It contains very fundamental points that really affect the development of that country not for one year, five years, but for ten or twenty years ahead,“ she said of the document, which she said was being prepared as part of the preparation of the new five-year plan.

Kočová described China as a country that, in her experience, is open to communication and emphasizes peace. „There was a clear sense that China's activity idea is to be open in all aspects in which it can,“ she said after attending a press conference by a spokeswoman for the National People's Congress. She was also interested in specific topics that are often presented critically in Europe, such as the situation in the real estate market or the 996 labour regime. She said that this model is banned in China and that, on the contrary, she believes that a balance is being sought there between work and quality of life.

She identified artificial intelligence and robotics as one of the most significant areas of current development. According to Koç, artificial intelligence is not seen in China as a mere communication tool, but as a „development engine“ to help industry, logistics, healthcare and other sectors. She was also very impressed by a visit to Unitree. „Really the physical ability they have, the way they're able to jump, the movements they're able to do, is incredible,“ she said about humanoid robots.

In relation to Europe, China distinguishes between a more restrained attitude of the European Union and a more open approach of individual states. It is personal negotiation and confidence-building that she considers essential. She also recalled the Chinese concept of guanxi, which refers to relationships based on trust and contact. „The Chinese side has already opened its doors, so I don't think it's a question of whether or not we can have that cooperation. The question here is how we can use it,“ uvedla.

Finally, she stressed that cooperation with China cannot be understood only at the level of the whole country, but also at the level of individual provinces, each of which has its own specificities and economic logic. According to her, politicians, the media, institutions and individuals can play an important role in shaping relations between the Czech Republic and China in the years to come.

CMG