Poster Panda and Little Mole, the animated series jointly produced by China and the Czech Republic. [Photo/cctv.com]

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the Czech Republic from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of Czech Republic President Milos Zeman. The connection between China and the Czech Republic dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) through commerce on the Silk Road.

Cultural exchanges between the two nations officially began in the 1950s. Despite ups and downs in the 1960-70s, relations between the two countries have been developing in a healthy way since the 1980s.

1946: Chinese course in the Czech Republic

Palacky University became the first college in what was then Czechoslovakia to offer Chinese courses in 1946.

1952-1953: Cultural cooperation agreement

China and Czechoslovakia signed an agreement on cultural cooperation in 1952. And in March 1957, the two countries signed the second cultural cooperation agreement.

1954: Czechoslovakia course in China

Beijing Foreign Studies University set Czech courses in 1954 and started to recruit master students in the Czech language in 1991.

1980s: Cultural exchange revival

The cultural exchange revived in the 1980s and dozens of agreements concerning culture, arts, sports and press were signed between the two nations.

1996: Cultural cooperation agreement for 1997-1999

In November 1996, the cultural ministers of the two countries signed an agreement on cultural cooperation for 1997-1999.