"China-Czech cooperation is like an apple orchard: we should not only pick the fruit, but also plant more trees." From July 20 to 24, 2026, Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, led a delegation to China upon invitation. During the visit, he gave a written interview with a multimedia journalist of the People's Congresses Journal, expressing his hope to advance Czech-China relations for the greater benefit of both peoples.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Tomio Okamura (second from right, front) leads a delegation to visit Shanghai Electric Group. [Photo provided by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress]

Journalist: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Czech strategic partnership. During this visit, you attended the Czech-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference. In your view, in what areas can the legislative bodies of the two countries leverage their functions to support practical cooperation?

Tomio Okamura: In 2016, Czech President Milos Zeman and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly announced the establishment of the strategic partnership between the two countries. For the current coalition government and for me personally, this is an important pillar of the bilateral relations. The Czech Republic firmly adheres to the one-China policy, viewing it as the unshakable foundation for the sound and steady development of Czech-China relations.

I believe parliaments not only perform legislative functions, but also bear the mission of fostering a favorable environment for international cooperation. Parliamentary diplomacy can build platforms for dialogue, enhance strategic mutual trust, expand shared interests and promote closer people-to-people exchanges and deeper friendship.

Czech-China cooperation enjoys broad prospects, spanning such areas as trade and investment, culture and tourism, education and science, healthcare, transportation and people-to-people exchanges. Parliaments can help create a stable and predictable environment for enterprises, universities, local governments and various institutions engaged in bilateral cooperation.

Journalist: On April 23, the Chinese embassy in the Czech Republic successfully hosted a symposium with the Czech Parliamentary Group for Friendship with China themed "Consolidating friendly consensus and discussing a future of cooperation". The Friendship Group has played a bridging role in dispelling cognitive biases and consolidating public support. How will the Czech Chamber of Deputies support the Friendship Group in carrying out its activities?

Tomio Okamura: Parliamentary friendship groups are an important vehicle for parliamentary diplomacy. Compared with formal diplomatic consultations, day-to-day exchanges among parliamentarians offer a more effective way to deepen mutual understanding.

Both the current coalition government and the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies support the Friendship Group in carrying out exchange activities. Group members actively fulfill their duties and maintain regular face-to-face exchanges, which often yield more tangible results than a one-off international conference. Cooperation within friendship groups should be built on mutual respect, candid communication and a shared pursuit of solutions. By sharing experiences, we can eliminate misunderstandings and expand cooperation in areas where our interests converge and there is strong mutual willingness to cooperate.

To that end, we will continue to promote deeper exchanges among legislative personnel, experts, enterprises, universities and cultural institutions. I firmly believe that the better our peoples know and understand each other, the stronger the foundation of our bilateral relations will become.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Tomio Okamura (center, front) leads a delegation to visit the legislative outreach office in Shanghai's Hongqiao subdistrict. [Photo provided by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress]

Journalist: You have previously advocated for public participation in national decision-making. During this visit, you visited the legislative outreach office in Shanghai's Hongqiao subdistrict to observe firsthand the practice of whole-process people's democracy, in which the original views of the people are conveyed directly to the national legislature. What are your thoughts on this?

Tomio Okamura: Every country develops a system of public governance and mechanisms for citizen participation in decision-making that suit its own national conditions, based on its historical experience, cultural traditions and constitutional order. During my visit, I learned about China's specific practices of extensively soliciting public opinion in the legislative process. Mutual learning of experience can provide new ideas for those engaged in legislative work.

I have always advocated that citizens should be fully involved in public decision-making, and I have championed the model of direct democracy in the Czech Republic. At the same time, I respect the right of every country to independently choose its own development path in light of its historical context, constitutional order and the will of its people.

Journalist: On June 24, 2024, Hainan Airlines resumed direct flights between Beijing and Prague, building an aerial bridge for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. During this visit, you also met with the head of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In your view, how can the legislative bodies of the two countries engage in dialogue and cooperation to further unleash the vitality of cultural and tourism cooperation and tap the potential of people-to-people exchanges?

Tomio Okamura: This topic has a deep personal connection with me. Before entering politics, I spent many years working in international tourism, and to this day I still regard Czech-China cooperation in culture and tourism as an important part of our bilateral relations.

The value of cooperation in culture and tourism goes far beyond the economic dimension. Getting to know each other through travel is an effective way to understand different civilizations. Firsthand experiences help our peoples build deeper respect, trust and friendship. A convenient and well-connected transportation network is a solid guarantee for cultural and tourism exchanges, trade and economic ties and people-to-people interactions. That is why I was delighted to see the resumption of direct flights between Beijing and Prague and I look forward to more direct routes in the future.

The Czech Republic, with its historic cities, cultural heritage, spa resorts, natural scenery and distinctive cuisine, has attracted a large number of Chinese tourists. Likewise, China's long history, splendid culture, and remarkable achievements in modernization hold great appeal for Czech citizens. Parliaments can inject momentum into bilateral cooperation by facilitating experience-sharing, supporting cultural programs, promoting youth exchanges, deepening university partnerships and improving cultural and tourism infrastructure.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Tomio Okamura (second from right) leads a delegation to visit the Shanghai-based travel agency Spring Tour. [Photo provided by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress]