China, Slovakia Expand Strategic Partnership in High-Tech and Trade Talks

On July 28, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during Pellegrini's state visit to China. Building on their strategic partnership established in 2024, the two leaders agreed to expand economic cooperation into frontier tech sectors including artificial intelligence, robotics manufacturing, the digital economy, and clean energy. Pellegrini reaffirmed Slovakia's adherence to the One-China principle, welcomed Chinese corporate investment, and pledged to foster constructive dialogue between China and the European Union.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini's state visit to Beijing signals a consolidation of the China-Slovakia strategic partnership. Beyond traditional bilateral ties and China-CEEC mechanisms, both nations are steering cooperation toward emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. Additionally, Slovakia's willingness to advocate for dialogue within the European Union provides Beijing with a supportive voice amid ongoing trade and industrial policy friction between China and Brussels.

On July 28, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during Pellegrini's state visit to China. The leaders discussed consolidating bilateral relations, advancing high-tech economic cooperation, and fostering broader stability between China and the European Union. During the meeting, President Xi highlighted the historical foundation of bilateral relations, noting that Slovakia was among the first nations to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China. Building on the bilateral strategic partnership established in 2024, Xi outlined four key priorities for future cooperation: consolidating strategic mutual trust, deepening economic collaboration, enhancing cultural and youth exchanges, and defending global governance grounded in international law and the United Nations framework. Xi specifically emphasized tapping into emerging industries, encouraging both sides to leverage institutional mechanisms such as the China-Slovakia Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee. He pointed to clean energy, the digital economy, robotics manufacturing, and artificial intelligence as major areas for future collaboration. Addressing wider geopolitical dynamics, Xi stated that China views the EU as a partner and called for equal consultation to manage differences and turn challenges into opportunities. President Pellegrini praised China's development achievements and five-year planning framework, reaffirming Slovakia's strict adherence to the One-China principle. Pellegrini welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Slovakia and expressed enthusiasm for deepening cooperation in trade, robotics, new energy, and digital technology. As an EU member state, Pellegrini stated that Slovakia is committed to promoting EU-China cooperation and resolving disputes through negotiation. He also expressed endorsement of China's concepts on global artificial intelligence governance presented at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference.