The China Investment Forum (CIF) 2014 and the Local Leaders Meeting (LLM) 2014 held during 28 – 29 August 2014 in Prague, on the background of Warsaw Initiative and the Bucharest guidelines, has become an important step towards strengthening of mutual relations between the countries and regions of Central and Eastern European Countries (CEE) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its provinces. CIF/LLM 2014 was a unique opportunity to mutual meeting, familiarization and understanding of the future relations not only between the CR and the PRC, but also 16 CEE Countries and the PRC. This all, under the motto: “Regional cooperation – important drive to cooperation between China and the CEE Countries”
Both events have begun with the ceremonial opening. For the organizers, the guests were welcomed by Mr Jaroslav Tvrdík, the President of the Organizational Committee of LLM/CIF 2014. His welcoming speech also presented the Prime Minister of the CR, Mr Bohuslav Sobotka and for the Chinese side the First Vice Premier of the State Council of the PRC, Mr Zhang Gaoli. Further had a speech also the Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the CR, Mr Lubomír Zaorálek, the Governor of the Henan Province, Mrs Xie Fuzhan, the Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Péter Szijjártó, the First Deputy Mayor of the Autonomous City of Chongqing, which was the host of the first LLM in 2013, and the Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the CR, Mr Jan Mládek. At the end of this ceremony, the “Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Association of Governors of Provinces of the People’s Republic of China and Representatives of Regions of Central and Eastern European Countries” was signed.
Photogallery: GALA OPENING LLM/CIF
After the official opening, the Chinese delegation had a tour at the Prague castle including the representative halls and Saint Vít’s Cathedral. After that, the delegation went to the Lobkowicz Palace, where they were officially welcomed by the Prime Minister of the CR, Mr Bohuslav Sobotka. After the media took pictures of this ceremonial moment, in the Balcony Ballroom was held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Czech Government. For the Czech side was present for example also Mr Lubomír zaorálek, Mr Jan Mládek, Mr Antonín Prachař, the Minister of Transport of the CR, Mr Svatopluk Němeček, the Minister of Health of the CR, Mrs Věra Jourová, the Minister of Regional Development, Mr Tomáš Prouza, the State Secretary for European Affairs of the Czech Government and others. The Chinese side was represented mainly by Mr Zhang Gaoli, Mr Yang Chuantang, the Minister of Transport of the PRC, Mr Wu Xinxiong, the Deputy of the Commision for Development and Reforms and the Minister of the National Agency for Energy, Mr Zhong Shan, the Chinese Commissioner of the Ministry of trade for negotiation foreign trade and Deputy minister of Trade, Mrs Ma Keqing, the Ambassador of the PRC in CR and other very important representatives of Chinese ministries and state offices.
Photogallery: PANEL DISCUSSIONS LLM/CIF
In a meantime, in the Spanish Hall, New Gallery, Rudolph Gallery and the Ball Game Hall of the Prague Castle, the panel discussions of LLM 2014 took place. The main reason was to introduce opportunities for cooperation with Czech regions, regions of the CEE Countries and Chinese provinces. The complete overview of the presenters can be found in the program of LLM 2014 on this website.
Photogallery: LUNCH FOR THE HEADS OF DELEGATIONS LLM, BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS
After the LLM panel discussions finished, the representatives of delegations from the CEE Countries were invited to the Rosenberg Palace of the Prague Castle, where they had ceremonial lunch with Mr Milan Chovanec, The Minister of the Interior of the CR, the Governor Mr Michal Hašek, the President of the Association of Regions of the CR and the Governor of the South Moravian Region. During the initiation of the lunch, except the aforementioned representatives of the CR, also Mrs Xie Fuzhan, the Governor of the Henan Province had a speech as well as Mr Elvinas Jankevicius, the Deputy Minister of the Interior of Lithuania.
After the lunch, the Heads of Delegations of the Governors of the PRC provinces have been officially welcome by the Prime Minister, Mr Bohuslav Sobotka, this act was also attended by their partners, Czech Governors. The ceremonial signing of the Letter of Intent on the Association of Governors of the PRC and regional representatives of the CEE Countries took place. The Letter of Intent was signed by the representatives of the following regions: Karlovy Vary and Hebei, Central Bohemian Region and Henan Province, Vysočina Region and Liaoning Region, Olomouc Region and Fujian Region, Hradec Králové Region and Chongqing Region, South Moravian Region and Hainan Region, South Bohemian Region and Autonomous City on the level of Province, Tianjin.
In the Representative Halls of the Prague Castle were held in a meantime panel discussions CIF. Each part was focused on specific topics of mutual cooperation which is already happening and is either developing or has a potential for further development. The topics discussed were focused for example on tourism, flight connections, trade and investments, finance, transportation, industry, health care and much more. The complete overview of the presenters can be found in the program of CIF 2014 on this website.
Photogallery: GALA DINNER LLM/CIF
The program of CIF and LLM 2014 was held mainly in the Representative Halls of the Prague Castle and the guests were granted by a warm welcome of the President of the CR, Mr Miloš Zeman. In the Mirror Hall of the Prague Castle, Mr President met first with Mr Zhang Gaoli. Later the meeting of the President and the Heads of the PRC provinces delegations took place, this time in the Ballroom Hall of the Prague Castle. After this, the President met with the Heads of LLM delegations from the CEE Countries and the PRC in the Imperial Stables of the Prague Castle where they had a chance to visit the exhibition “Treasures of the Ancient China”.
The gala dinner and the evening celebration, officially patronaged by the President of the CR, Mr Miloš Zeman, was a spectacular event. The Spanish Hall and other Representative Halls of the Prague Castle are famous for the beauty and magnificence. Even the fanfare of the Castle Guards for the President and the First Vice Prime Minister of the State Council of the PRC were heard. They both had opening speeches. The Gala dinner was also accompanied by cultural performances.
Photogallery: PANEL DISCUSSIONS CIF
The second day of CIF/LLM 2014 begun with morning bilateral meetings between the representatives of the Czech regions and delegations of the PRC provinces. In a meantime at the Prague Castle, the CIF panel discussions continued.
Photogallery: BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS LLM
After the end of the discussions, the closing ceremony of CIF/LLM 2014 took place in the Prague Castle Gardens. The celebratory speech by Mr Jan Hamáček, the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the CR and Mr Zhang Gaoli. Further also spoke for example Mr Bill Pavelski, the Minister of Foreign Investment of Macedonia. After the official closing of the program, the gala reception with a cultural program took place.
Photogallery: CLOSING CEREMONY LLM/CIF
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