Slovak President Peter Pellegrini pledged sweeping cooperation with China during an interview with China Media Group on Wednesday, announcing plans for major industrial investments and expanded student exchanges after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During his state visit from Monday to Wednesday, Pellegrini met Xi in Beijing and called their talks "inspiring and forward-looking." He highlighted mutual trust and direct exchanges as the basis of lasting ties, and praised China's focus on practical cooperation.
"I could feel the atmosphere during the meeting. Mr. President, was very open, very friendly, really discussed a lot of things in a very interesting way. And I'm really thankful that he mentioned some areas where we should focus in the future, first of all to build on trust, of course, the connection between people because first for good relationships, you need to have trust. And then second, of course, to cooperate more in our trade and innovation, education, new technologies, transportation, logistics and those kind of things. And now we can say that our relationships are really now at the highest level in this moment," said the president.
Turning diplomatic goodwill into concrete economic results, Pellegrini confirmed that Chinese giants Gotion High-Tech and Geely/Volvo will set up large-scale operations in Slovakia. He vowed to foster a business climate welcoming to foreign capital, pledging government support to draw further investment.
"We are really happy that we can invite to Slovakia two big important companies, and other projects or other companies or other investments are in pipeline. I have to guarantee that the Slovak government will be very constructive, very cooperative to really create such conditions that also others will come and will invest in Slovakia," he said.
Beyond industry, Pellegrini cast education and youth ties as pillars of the partnership. He urged more student exchanges and joint university programs to anchor long-term cooperation.
"But other concrete steps I would like to mention is that shortly after my visit, the minister of education will come with the representatives of Slovak universities, because I believe, and that was also mentioned by Mr. President, that we have to start with the young generation. That means, I think exchange of students, maybe joint programs of our universities, Chinese and Slovaks will increase the number of students which are coming to study at universities in China and the amount of Chinese students coming to Slovakia, because also in these times of new technologies I still believe that education, and good education is the answer for this new era," said the president.
Slovak president pledges deeper cooperation with China, more youth exchanges
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that his administration will work to resolve problems created by Iran's "enemies" through dialogue, according to the Iranian president's office.
Speaking at a meeting with the country's governors and mayors in Tehran, Pezeshkian said that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had granted the government certain authorities to pursue diplomatic solutions.
He stressed that no one benefits from war, adding that the country's "enemies" will not be able to make Iran surrender.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi's recent visit to Doha was aimed at exchanging information with the United States. Related Iran-U.S. discussions were ongoing, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was leading Iran's negotiation team.
Baghaei said at a regular press briefing that Iran had conveyed all its legitimate demands to Washington in a reasonable manner, and meeting those demands was a prerequisite for restoring regional security.
He confirmed Ghalibaf remains Iran's lead negotiator, and Iran's Supreme National Security Council is responsible for coordinating the country's diplomatic agenda.
Baghaei said that the United States must halt its unlawful actions, and that Iran would not move to the next phase of negotiations under U.S. threats and pressure. He pointed out that the basis for any indirect interaction between Iran and the United States through mediators remains the seven-day plan proposed by Tehran in September, adding Iran has reduced the period for implementing the plan to two days based on its good faith.
"This reflects Iran's goodwill and constructive stance. As Tehran has made clear, security in the Strait of Hormuz could be restored, paving the way for talks if Iran's conditions are met. Ultimately, however, everything hinges on the United States and how it moves the process forward," said Baghaei.
Also on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said consultations mediated by Qatar and Pakistan to end regional hostilities have become "extremely intensive," given the sensitivity and critical nature of the current situation.
"Exchange of visits by delegations is evident, and tens of phone conversations are being held among the parties, and numerous messages are being exchanged," Araghchi said in an interview at the end of his visit to Turkmenistan with Iran's official IRNA news agency.
He reiterated Tehran's readiness for both diplomacy and defense, noting that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen if Iran's conditions are accepted.
On Sept. 22, Iran conveyed a seven-day proposal to the United States through mediators to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"We are committed to rationality, dialogue, and logic, and are ready to enter a positive engagement should the other side adopt a similar approach," Araghchi said, while warning that any further military escalation by Washington would draw a "far more bitter and severe" response.
Iran vows dialogue to resolve problems, rejects surrender to "enemies"
