The Czech Republic could become a key transport hub between the EU and China, according to Prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka at a conference currently ongoing on the subject. He invited China banks to open their European headquarters in Prague. The Chinese ambassador in the Czech Republic pointed out that China is interested in cooperation in the fields of automotive, aviation and engineering industry.
The Bank of China opened its office in Prague in 2015, while the opening of the first direct air link from Prague to Beijing should be followed by establishing a direct connection to Shanghai. Sobotka also welcomed the idea to open Center of Chinese Studies at Charles University in Prague as well as establishing the Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hradec Králové. A record 300,000 Chinese tourists visited Czech Republic in 2015.
