Slovak-Chinese Business Forum in Bratislava

The Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) organized the Slovak–Chinese Business Forum with companies from Hebei Province, in cooperation with its Chinese partner – the Sino–Czech–Slovak Friendship Farm.

The event followed up on last year’s business forum held in cooperation with the Friendship Farm, which over the past seventy years has transformed from an original agricultural cooperation project between China and Czechoslovakia into the modern Zhongjie Industrial Park. Hebei Province is among China’s key economic regions, not only due to its proximity to the capital city of Beijing, but also thanks to its strong industrial base and growing focus on technologically advanced sectors.

The role of SARIO was to coordinate the organization of the forum with the Chinese partner, with a primary focus on recruiting Slovak companies, facilitating B2B opportunities, presenting the business environment in Slovakia, and managing individual B2B meetings with participating Chinese companies.

A total of 42 Slovak business entities took part in the forum. The Chinese delegation included 9 companies attending in person, while an additional 12 entities were represented through the Friendship Farm. Altogether, more than 100 individual B2B meetings were held. Participating companies represented primarily sectors related to industrial production (automotive, aerospace, engineering, and chemical industries), as well as information and communication technologies, energy, and agriculture.

As part of the forum program, opening remarks on behalf of the Slovak side were delivered by State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Kristína Vavríková and State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Vladimír Šimoňák. On behalf of the Chinese side, Vice Governor of Hebei Province Xinhai Zhao delivered a speech. Prior to the individual B2B meetings, participants were presented with investment opportunities in Slovakia and in one of the strategic cities of Hebei Province – Cangzhou.

The forum confirmed the growing interest in developing trade relations between Slovakia and China. Slovak companies gained new contacts, advanced existing business opportunities, and opened doors to broader engagement in the Chinese market. The event thus contributed to strengthening economic cooperation and creating conditions for the development of new projects with higher added value. Long-term relationships built through the Friendship Farm provide a solid foundation for further deepening cooperation with Chinese partners.