Czech people hope Xi's visit will bring benefits

PRAGUE - "The Chinese president's visit to Prague is a very exciting moment and I am very proud that my country is the first and the only country he is visiting in the Central and Eastern Europe," Czech antiquary Oldrich Hejtmanek told Xinhua in downtown Prague ahead of President Xi Jinping's arrival for a three-day state visit.

The visit, starting from Monday, will be the first state visit by a Chinese president since the two countries established diplomatic ties 67 years ago.

As Xi's visit draws near, more and more Chinese elements can be seen in Prague. Chinese and Czech national flags are fluttering along the main streets near the Prague Castle, the seat of the President's Office.

Standing above a traffic roundabout by the Vltava River is a huge billboard with a slogan in both Chinese and Czech: "Welcome to the Czech Republic."

The Pravo, a major daily newspaper, carried a signed article by Xi on front page.

In the article titled "Time to Renew and Energize China-Czech Ties," Xi hailed the "picturesque landscape, rich cultural heritage and talented people" of the country, and recalled his previous visit to the country in the 1990s during which he was "deeply impressed by the hard work and ingenuity of the Czech people, dynamic economic and social progress and the Bohemian culture nourished by the Vltava River."

Calling it "an opportune time for the development of China-Czech relations," Xi suggests that the two countries should enhance political mutual trust and economic cooperation, better align development strategies, encourage people-to-people and cultural exchanges, step up regional cooperation and China-EU relations.