Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, addresses the China-Czech Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference in Beijing on July 23, 2026. Photo: Chi Jingyi/GT

A Czech delegation including politicians and about 20 Czech companies joined Chinese counterparts on Thursday for a China-Czech Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference in Beijing, signaling a strong willingness to deepen practical business cooperation as part of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Czech strategic partnership.

The event, co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, was held during visit of Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, leading a delegation, to China from Monday to Friday.

"This business mission reflects our shared determination to strengthen economic ties and create new opportunities for companies and institutions from both countries," Okamura said when addressing the conference.

He told the Global Times on Thursday during a group interview that "Our goal is not only to expand trade, but also to support long-term partnerships in the fields of innovation, transport, aviation, culture, education, and sustainable development."

Okamura noted that Czech attaches great importance to cooperation in the tourism sector. It is hoped that in addition to the existing direct flights between Beijing and Prague, more direct flights such as from Shanghai to Prague can be added.

CCPIT Chairman Ren Hongbin, in his address, welcomed Czech enterprises and highlighted strong demand in China for Czech products such as crystal, beer, medical equipment, and machinery. He invited more Czech companies to participate in the upcoming fifth edition of the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing next year.

Participants to the conference expressed willingness to expand practical cooperation.

"We are aware of the potential of the China market. That is why I'm pleased that this visit is taking place at the higher level," Jiri Brodsky Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the conference.

Brodsky expressed hope for more successful partnerships between Czech and Chinese companies.

Several Czech companies shared positive experiences and future ambitions.

Michal Mika, member of the board of Logarex Smart Metering, a.s., a Czech technology company, spoke about their successful multi-year cooperation with Chinese partner - Hangzhou Sunrise Technology Co., jointly developing electricity meters for the European market.

"We want to expand cooperation with more Chinese companies," Mika told the Global Times on Thursday, pointing to cooperation in research and development, technological development and manufacturing sector with China.

Mika said that as a frequent visitor to China, he hoped that there will be an increased number of direct flights from Czech Republic to China beyond Beijing, including destinations such as Shanghai and Hangzhou.

Petr Heller, CEO of Retailys Group a.s., an AI-powered e-commerce platform company, stressed the importance of the Chinese market and existing cooperation in logistics and modern technologies.

"I think that it will be possible to find some ways to tighten logistics collaboration in the future to improve supply chain efficiency," Heller told the Global Times on Thursday.

Heller revealed that one of the expectations of the visit to China is to develop partnerships with Chinese brands, manufacturers, exporters and e-commerce service providers seeking to enter or expand across European markets.

Sona van Deelenova, CEO of Union of Czech Production Co-operatives, told the Global Times that her organization imports components from China and is exploring ways to export to the Chinese market. She described the event as highly valuable for building new contacts.

Representatives also mentioned that China-Czech relations have seen ups and downs in recent years. But they see this visit as a business-oriented mission focused on concrete cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism recovery.

"We believe that parliamentary dialogue can help open new channels of communication, build trust, and contribute to an environment in which business cooperation can thrive for the benefit of both our nations," said Okamura.

Frantisek Chaloupecky, Vice President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, described the visit as an important opportunity to renew economic dialogue after a seven-year interval since the last visit at this level.

Chaloupecky said at the conference that the delegation includes companies from energy, engineering, industrial technologies, aerospace, digital innovation, investment, services, and food sectors. "I am convinced that this mission will lead to new business contacts, concrete projects and further development of economic relations between the Czech Republic and China."

Focused on practical issues, this visit serves as a valuable entry point and constructive channel for mending bilateral ties and resuming cooperation after a period of tension. It holds important positive significance, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times.