China pitches AI and robotics cooperation to Slovakia

China targets Slovakia for technology collaboration

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed expanded cooperation in artificial intelligence, robotics, and clean energy during talks with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini on Tuesday, according to details first reported by the South China Morning Post.

The discussions took place during Pellegrini's three-day visit to China, marking the first trip by a Slovak head of state to the country in 16 years. The technology-focused pitch comes as Beijing navigates increasingly strained relations with the European Union over trade policy and geopolitical tensions.

Why it matters

Slovakia represents one of the few EU and NATO members maintaining a strategic partnership with China, making it a valuable diplomatic channel for Beijing as broader EU-China relations deteriorate. The emphasis on emerging technologies like AI and robotics signals China's strategy to maintain economic ties with individual European nations even as bloc-wide friction intensifies over trade barriers and China's relationship with Russia.

Strategic partnership deepens

Slovakia elevated its relationship with China to strategic partnership status during Prime Minister Robert Fico's visit to Beijing in November 2024. This designation places Slovakia among a select group of European nations with formal strategic ties to China, despite the EU's increasingly cautious stance toward Beijing.

The timing of Pellegrini's visit is significant. Brussels and Beijing are moving closer to a potential trade war, while European leaders have expressed concern over China's perceived support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. These tensions have complicated bilateral relationships across the continent.

Shifting transatlantic dynamics

The diplomatic outreach also occurs against a backdrop of changing transatlantic relations. The second Trump administration's "America first" trade policies have created uncertainty in traditional Western alliances, prompting some European nations to reassess their economic and diplomatic strategies.

This recalibration has created openings for China to strengthen bilateral relationships with individual EU member states, even as the bloc collectively debates tougher policies toward Beijing over what some leaders characterize as a "systemic threat."

The proposed areas of cooperation—clean energy, robotics, and artificial intelligence—represent sectors where China has made significant investments and seeks international partnerships. For Slovakia, a smaller EU economy, such partnerships could offer technology transfer opportunities and economic benefits, though they may also raise questions from Brussels about strategic autonomy and technology security.

Details of the meeting and proposed cooperation were first reported by the South China Morning Post.