On the morning of July 28, 2026, President Xi Jinping held talks with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi noted that Slovakia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and the two countries enjoy profound and robust friendship. In 2024, the bilateral relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership. With the joint efforts of the two sides, mutual trust has been deepened, cooperation outcomes keep emerging, and the tradition of friendship has taken deep roots among the people. China is ready to work with Slovakia to develop a strategic partnership that features mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, stability and resilience, so as to deliver more benefits to both peoples.

President Xi stressed that the two sides may focus on four priority areas in the next stage. First, consolidating strategic mutual trust and firmly supporting each other. Despite their different political systems, China and Slovakia are able to respect the development paths chosen independently by themselves and remain committed to friendship and cooperation as the keynote of bilateral ties. This is the foundation for the healthy and rapid development of China-Slovakia relations. China appreciates Slovakia’s adherence to the one-China principle, and will continue to work with Slovakia to fully accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. Second, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting common development. Slovakia’s active participation in Belt and Road cooperation and the China-CEEC cooperation has yielded fruitful results. The two sides should continue to make good use of bilateral mechanisms such as the intergovernmental cooperation committee to provide policy support for deeper bilateral cooperation, tap into the potential of cooperation in emerging industries and frontier domains such as clean energy, digital economy, robotics manufacturing and artificial intelligence, and foster new highlights of cooperation. Third, strengthening people-to-people bonds and carrying forward the tradition of friendship. The two sides should expand cooperation in culture, sports, tourism, and youth and at subnational levels, facilitate two-way travel and continue to encourage youth exchanges, so as to promote mutual understanding and friendship through mutual learning. Fourth, defending international fairness and justice, and reforming and improving global governance. The two sides should strengthen multilateral coordination, firmly uphold the U.N.-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, jointly advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

President Xi pointed out that as transformations unseen in a century are accelerating across the world, the relations between China and Europe are facing both new, important opportunities and many challenges. The key to turning challenges into opportunities lies in conducting equal consultation and seeking commonality while resolving differences. China always sees the EU as a partner, and develops relations with the EU with sincerity and goodwill. It is hoped that Slovakia would play a constructive role in encouraging the EU to focus on consensus and properly handle disagreements with China, and in promoting the sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

President Pellegrini noted that Slovakia highly commends the remarkable development achievements of China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. China’s practice of formulating and continually implementing Five-Year Plans and its capability of advancing Chinese modernization with steady and solid steps is admirable and worth emulating. Slovakia values the strategic partnership with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and looks forward to enhancing mutual trust, strengthening cooperation and deepening friendship with China. The two countries need to expand the areas of cooperation, and strive for more cooperation outcomes in economy and trade, artificial intelligence, digital economy, robotics, new energy and other fields, so as to better benefit the two peoples. Chinese companies are welcome to invest and build partnerships in Slovakia. As a member of the EU, Slovakia is ready to actively promote EU-China cooperation and encourage handling differences properly through dialogue and consultation. Slovakia highly values and appreciates China’s international standing and influence, and is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the purposes of the U.N. Charter and international law, and promote peace and stability of the region and the world. Slovakia fully agrees to the visions and initiatives put forth by President Xi Jinping at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, and is ready to work closely with China to strengthen global AI governance to make sure that it truly benefits all of humanity.

Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Pellegrini in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

As President Pellegrini arrived, honor guards lined up in salutation. After the two presidents stepped onto the reviewing stand, the military band played the national anthems of China and Slovakia. A 21-gun salute was performed on the Tian’anmen Square. President Pellegrini reviewed the guard of honor of the People’s Liberation Army and watched the march-past in President Xi Jinping’s company. 

At noon, President Xi Jinping hosted a welcome banquet for President Pellegrini in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Wang Yi attended the events.