Czech Republic lauds progress; Skoda rolls out new car model

Trade between China and the Czech Republic increased almost 60 percent from 2013 to 2017, making China the Czech Republic's third-largest trading partner, according to data released at the Czech-China Business Forum in Shanghai on Tuesday.

"We welcome China's opening its doors wider to imported products and fully acknowledge the belief that free trade needs to be firmly upheld to ensure sustained global economic growth," said Marta Novakova, the Czech Republic's minister of trade and industry.

Bilateral relations are at their historical best, Novakova continued, adding that next year will be the 80th year of Sino-Czech relations.