Robert Fico, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, described his early November visit to China as the most important visit of 2024 during an interview with China Media Group (CMG).
Fico paid an official visit to China from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov. 1, the two countries agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
When explaining why he placed such significant importance on his visit to China, Fico shared his views on China's influence on global affairs.
"Thank you for the interview! I want to say that not only in Slovakia, but in the entire European Union, we have underestimated certain things. We have underestimated not only China's influence on world peace but also its impact on the global economy. This is why I believe it is very appropriate to call this visit 'the most important visit of 2024'," he said.
Fico previously served as Slovakia's prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018.
He was reappointed to the position in October 2023.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Slovakia.
Slovak PM regards visit to China as most important visit in 2024
China and Russia held the 19th round of their annual strategic security consultation in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides exchanging in-depth views on major issues of common concern related to strategic security.
The meeting was co-chaired by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, and Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council.
Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Wang said that under the leadership of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have maintained sound, stable momentum amid changes in global affairs.
Both sides adhere to the principles of lasting good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation, all of which serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples, Wang observed.
He said that China and Russia have supported each other firmly on issues concerning their core interests, deepened political mutual trust and promoted practical cooperation, creating a new model for relations between neighboring major countries, and significantly promoting solidarity and cooperation within the Global South.
Guided by the consensus reached by the two heads of state, the China-Russia strategic security consultation mechanism should strengthen coordination on strategic and overarching issues related to the security and development interests of both sides, Wang said.
Wang also called for enhanced exchange and multilateral coordination between the two countries amid the changing international landscape, so as to provide a strong guarantee for the high-level development momentum of China-Russia relations and ensure that the two countries work together to maintain global strategic stability.
Shoigu said that Russia is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, aiming to promote the continuous development of Russia-China relations.
China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation
