Slovakia was among the first European countries to sign the MoUs with China on the Belt and Road (BRI) initiative in 2015, when Zuzana came to China from Slovakia.
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.
Zuzana said many Slovaks just begun to have some understanding of the initiative at that time. She believed that the economic and trade exchanges between the two countries will be closer amid the promotion of the initiative, so she made up the decision to study in China.
Before coming to Nanjing, Zuzana worked in a law firm in Slovakia. Today, she is a Ph.D. student in international law at the Law School of Nanjing Normal University, the first Slovak to research China-Central and Eastern European international law in the capital city of Jiangsu Province. She said she can better participate in the cooperation between China and Slovakia only after understanding China’s history, culture and economy in the country.
The law school’s Slovak Law Research Center was launched in December last year. As a member of the center, Zuzana said she has more researches to conduct now. She attended academic conferences, held lectures, and also translated her homeland’s investment laws.
Zuzana said Central European countries exported significant products to China in the past five years, including wine, dairy products, jam, vegetable oils and other daily necessities. Those countries implement EU standards in food and other fields. The higher quality of the products and lower prices, in comparison with Western European countries, mean bright prospects in China’s market.
However, many Slovak companies do not understand China's investment policies， laws and regulations, and most Chinese companies have no investment experience in Central European countries. Seeing this situation, Zuzana hopes to provide legal advice for companies in both companies about trade and business, helping them understand international trade rules and legal systems.
After living in Jiangsu for more than 3 years, Zuzana said she has visited most cities in the province. Her favorite food is the Steamed Buns Stuffed with Juicy Pork in Nanjing and seafood in the coastal Lianyungang city.
She also said she’s a big fan of Baiju (the popular art form that combines talking and singing in Nanjing) at Laomendong Historic Block. Although she can’t understand the show fully, she said she feels relaxed and peaceful when listening to the singing and talking by aged artists. Nanjing seems to be something deep in her heart.
2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Slovakia. Zuzana said she hopes to truly participate in the exchanges and cooperation between China and Slovakia.
(Source:english.jschina.com.cn)
