China and Slovakia said on Friday they would boost trade and investment ties and spoke of the need for peace in Ukraine during a visit to Beijing by Prime Minister Robert Fico to launch a new strategic partnership.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he would encourage "powerful" Chinese enterprises to invest in Slovakia, and he invited Slovak firms to explore China's market.

Under Fico, Slovakia has been keen to build closer bilateral and economic ties and alliances with non-European Union countries, including China, its biggest trading partner outside of the 27-state bloc, as well as Russia.

Xi said China would strengthen cooperation with Slovakia in areas such as new energy, transport and logistics as well as infrastructure construction, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation across green development sectors and explore opportunities in green technology, a joint statement said.

Fico said the visit was Slovakia's largest-ever delegation of political and business officials to a country, showing the government's commitment to relations with Beijing.

Ahead of his trip, Fico had described the visit as "crucial" following a decision by the European Commission, which oversees European Union trade policy, to impose tariffs on China-made electric vehicles.

Slovakia was one of five EU countries that opposed the tariffs, counting on Chinese investment to help build an EV battery plant.

Chinese lithium battery manufacturer Gotion High Tech and Slovak partner InoBat have invested 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in the plant, as Slovakia's auto industry goes electric.

Slovakia, which produces Volkswagen models for export, is also cautious about getting caught in potential counter-tariffs after the EU's decision on China-made EVs. Beijing has dropped hints it might impose levies on EU large-engined gasoline vehicles.

Commenting on the war in Ukraine, with which Slovakia shares a border, Xi said China welcomed combined efforts to promote peace talks.

Fico said on Facebook after meeting Xi that China could play a "decisive role" regarding the Ukraine conflict. Like Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, Fico has criticised EU policies on Ukraine and has opposed sanctions on Russia.

The joint statement said the two sides believed cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries is a "useful complement" to China-EU relations.

AfriPrime App link:  FREE to download...

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT

Slovak populist premier is in a spat with the UK ambassador to Bratislava over the war in Ukraine

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico reacted angrily on Friday after the U.K. ambassador to Bratislava criticized his interview with Russia’s Rossiya 1 state-owned television, saying, “Slovakia is not Britain’s colony.”

“I don’t know what gives you a right to interfere in my media activities,” Fico said in a video sent by his office. He is currently on a visit to China.

“That you represent a bigger and stronger state in Slovakia does not justify your unacceptable behavior,” Fico said, calling on Ambassador Nigel Baker to stop interfering in his government's sovereign foreign policy.

In his interview for the Russian propaganda channel, Fico condemned Western support for Ukraine that is fighting the Russian aggression, repeating his opinion it only prolongs the war and accusing the European nations of not being interested in a peaceful resolution.

Baker said on X on Wednesday he regretted that Fico agreed to talk to a presenter who is under British and European Union sanctions and said Fico’s claim that the West doesn’t want peace is not true. He also said that the fastest way to peace would be the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

Fico returned to power for the fourth time last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.

His views on Russia’s war on Ukraine and other issues sharply differ from the European mainstream. Fico ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, opposes EU sanctions on Russia, and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

In the interview with Russian TV, he said it would be an honor for him to attend a traditional military parade in Red Square in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII on May 9 next year.

The interview was condemned by Slovakia's opposition and politicians in the neighboring Czech Republic.

AfriPrime App link:  FREE to download...

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT