PRAGUE -- China is willing to work with the Czech Republic to expand areas of cooperation and lift bilateral ties to new stages, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has said.

Liu made the remarks while meeting with Bohuslav Sobotka, prime minister of the Czech Republic, on Monday in Prague.

The vice premier said the "Belt and Road" initiatives will offer new, important opportunities for the development of Sino-Czech ties.

She urged both sides to take advantage of the cooperation platform between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and lift China-CEEC cooperation to a new level in the process of jointly advancing the construction of "Belt and Road."

Sobotka said his country considers deepening friendly cooperation with China as a priority target of its foreign policies and is willing to advance exchanges and cooperation with China in trade, technology, transport, environmental protection, healthcare, sports and films and television, etc.

Moreover, he said the Czech side appreciates China-proposed "Belt and Road" initiatives, which is good for promoting common development of the countries along the "Belt and Road," and his country is willing to actively participate in the process.