Poland, Warsaw – Chinese President Xi arrived on Monday, June 20, in the Polish capital city to meet his counterpart Duda. Some 40 deals and memoranda of understanding were signed. The two President agreed on the strengthening of bilateral relations, as Poland sees China as a potential huge market to sell her agricultural goods, and China sees Poland as a gateway to Europe in her project of recreating the Silk Road.
Few days after the third local leaders meeting between China and CEEC (Central and Eastern European countries), and after a short trip to Belgrade, where he met with the Serbian Prime Minister Vučić, Chinese President Xi came to Poland on June 20. Welcomed by President Duda, he also met later the Polish Premier Beata Szydło, and many Polish MPs.
The discussions were focused on the bilateral cooperation, especially regarding infrastructure development, transportation and trade. China is already the main Asian partner for Poland, but since the EU and Russia are mutually sanctioning each-selves, Poland sees opportunities to deal more with China, since she is not able to sell as much as before 2014 to Russia. The two President celebrated the arrival of a freight train, which one of the 20 trains bringing goods through Eurasia each week. Train is much more faster than sea travel, and Poland is, according to the Chinese, at the geographical key position. The development of the train freight was one the topics of this meeting.
At this occasion, the two President declared that China and Poland upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership – as two days earlier, between China and Serbia. In her project of new Silk Road, China counts a lot on Central Europe, which is the western part of the huge “One Belt One Road” project, linking by land China to Europe. The investments in the Piraeus harbor, in the fast train from Greece to Hungary, or in the canal between the Danube, the Oder and the Elbe are all parts of this long-run gigantic project.
“I am convinced that Poland can continue to have a very important role in building ties between China and Europe,” Xi told a news conference. “There is a very high convergence between China’s initiative (to develop European ties) and Poland’s development plan.”
Central European countries cooperate efficiently together and with China on this new global trade route in order to develop Central Europe as a main economical pole, less dependent on the West in particular, where are the main harbors and economical clusters yet.
