A reset in Czech-Chinese relations in 2014, that included a commitment to the “One China policy” promised to bring huge economic benefits, with President Milos Zeman saying he wanted to make the Czech Republic “China’s gateway to Europe”. Five years on, the promised investments have not materialized and there is growing concern in Prague over Beijing’s effort to increase its influence in the country.

Reports of growing Chinese espionage and scandals in the academic and business sphere relating to undercover Chinese efforts to improve the image of China in the Czech Republic through selected academics and business leaders have soured relations between Prague and Beijing.  The rector of Charles University recently faced calls for him to resign after it emerged that the Chinese had quietly funded some of the university’s conferences in Prague and it came to light that consumer loans provider Home Credit, which has business interests in China, had paid a PR agency to work on improving China’s image in the Czech media.