Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Prague for an historic three-day visit to the Czech Republic.

The visit is designed to build strong political, economic and cultural ties.

CCTV America’s Daniel Ryntjes reports from Washington.

Increasing numbers of tourists and investors from Central and Eastern Europe have been drawn to this country since it joined the European Union in 2004. More recently, the Czech Republic has also been cultivating closer ties with China, culminating in this Prague meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Czech President Milos Zeman welcomed the Chinese leader to Prague Castle, his official residence. Senior officials are expected to announce a large number of business deals during the three-day visit, covering civil aviation, nuclear power, tourism and infrastructure. They are also seeking to build bridges in culture, science and tourism, welcoming news for Chinese nationals living in the Czech Republic.

“We are very excited about it, and hope this high-level activity will bring our relations to a higher level,” Chinese national, Guan Shaoji, told CCTV.

Xi Jinping’s visit reflects China’s intention to broaden its trade power stretching from central Asia to the Middle East, what’s known as the “Belt and Road” initiative.

In recent years, the Czech Republic has carefully cultivated a reputation for being attractive to global investors and plans to play a pivotal role in developing China’s regional trade ambitions.