Advertisement
Why the ‘honeymoon is over’ between the Czech Republic and China
- President Milos Zeman says Beijing has not fulfilled its promises and he will not attend this year’s 17+1 summit
- He had hoped the country would be an ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’ for Chinese investment in Europe, but now Zeman has changed his tone
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Keegan Elmerin Beijing
Czech President Milos Zeman’s decision to skip China’s summit with European leaders in April shows the “honeymoon is over” between Prague and Beijing, analysts say, as it tries to shake up the relationship to push for more investment.
Advertisement
And China could face similar trouble with other nations looking for more at this year’s “17+1” summit with Central and Eastern European nations in Beijing.
Top leaders usually attend the gathering, but Zeman on Sunday said he would not be going, and that China had not “done what it promised” by failing to invest more in his country. He would instead send Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamacek, which he said was “adequate to the level of cooperation”.
At last year’s summit in Croatia, Prague was represented by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who was diplomatically on par with the Chinese representative, Premier Li Keqiang. But it is China’s turn this year, and President Xi Jinping will be the host – meaning heads of state are expected to attend. The 17+1 grouping was launched by Beijing in 2012.
Advertisement
Zeman was a strong advocate for deepening economic ties with China and investments were on the rise, for a time. But Zeman and other Czech leaders have increasingly questioned the nature of the relationship, especially as the economic benefits have dwindled.
Advertisement