AKIPRESS.COM - President of China Xi Jinping signed a strategic agreement with his Czech Republic counterpart Miloš Zeman during a three-day visit to the country, reports CCTV.

The Czech President has committed considerable political capital on growing closer to China.

“I would like the Czech Republic to become an entry gate for China to the European Union,” Zeman said.

The two leaders signed a strategic partnership agreement and promised to deepen cooperation in several areas including infrastructure and construction.

“Both parties have set up a cooperation between both countries for the forthcoming years,” Xi said. He added the two countries will also launch cooperative initiatives in the field of nuclear energy.

Transportation and trade infrastructure is of particular strategic importance to China, as the Czech Republic is part of the route known as the Belt and Road initiative, a kind of modern Silk Road linking Central Asia to the Middle East and Europe.

As a symbol of these new commitments, President Xi reciprocated the gift of an apple tree to China two years ago by President Zeman, planting a medicinal Ginkgo Biloba tree in Prague.