Chapter 4 Czech Chinese Relations
4.7 Timeline
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4.7 Timeline
2004
PPF Group opened a branch office in Beijing.
2007
Home Credit started consumer finance operations in China.
2010
PPF Group became the first foreign entity to be licensed by the Chinese regulator to provide consumer finance services in China.
2013
In November 2013 (with effect from January 2014) PPF was granted a nationwide license to provide consumer finance services in China.
2014
October 23-28. 2014 Zeman's 1st visit to PRC
Zeman announces restart of Czech Chinese relations on Chinese state television
Zeman takes Kellner CEO of PPF to the meeting with The General Party Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping
Zeman flies back to the Czech Republic with PPF's plane instead of the presidential plane
September 4th, 2014 BIS warns against Huawei and ZTE in the 2013 annual report 2015
September 1 – 6. 2015 Zeman's 2nd visit to PRC
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September 2015 During Zeman's visit in PRC CEFC gains Martinicky Palace, Slavia Praha, minority shares in Medea Agency, Empresa Media, Lobkowicz breweries, 10% in J&T and in time majority of Travel Service
Ye Jianming CEO of CEFC becomes Zeman's “special advisor”
October 2015 Prague Castle protocol Sklenar goes to CEFC as a vice deputy to Jaroslav Tvrdik
2016
March 2016 CEFC wants 50% in J&T
Czech Chinese Centrum at the Charles University Established by Milos Balaban and guaranteed by Rector of the university Toms Zima March 28-30. 2016 Official visit of the General Party Secretary of the Chinese Communist
Party Xi Jinping in Prague
March 29th, 2016 Prague – Beijing sister city agreement signed
October 18th, 2016 Minister of Culture Herman meets with Dalai lama visiting Prague October 18th, 2016 The president of Czech Republic Milos Zeman, the Prime Minister of
Czech Republic Bohuslav Sobotka, the President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Milan Stech and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jan Hamacek issue so-called “Letter of Four” to reaffirm One China Policy of the Czech Republic as a reaction to Minister of Culture Heman's meeting with Dalai Lama.
October 27th, 2016 Zeman's revokes Brady's honors due to Herman meeting with Dalai lama
November 2016 Chinese Investment Forum in Prague 2017
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March 27th, 2017 One year since Xi's visit to Prague, media notes lack of promised investments
May 11-18 2018 Zeman's 3rd visit to PRC
Zeman attends BRI Forum in Beijing
July 2017 Chinese Investment Forum in Prague. Czech press did not let in just a Chinese one.
Hamacek meets with Liu Yunshan strengthening cooperation of CSSD and CCP
September 2017 CEFC asks to return shares in Empressa and Medea back to original owner Jaromir Soukup
October 2017 BIS publishes annual report for 2016 warning about Chinese influence in the Czech Republic
November 2017 Patrick Ho arrested in the USA for corruption of African politicians CEFC joins Penta to buy Central European Media
2018
January 2018 Czech National Bank CNB did not approve CEFC gaining 51% in J&T due to the questionable background of the money
March 2018 Ye Jianming disappears in PRC due to investigation. Remains Zeman's advisor
May 2018 CEFC China Energy does not pay wages for 2 months at its HQ in Shanghai
May 17th, 2018 J&T recalled Tvrdik and puts crisis management to CEFC Europe as it did not pay its debt in time.
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May 25th, 2018 CTIC Group pays CEFC Europe's debt throughout Rainbow Wisdom Investment to J&T and gains all previous CEFC Europe's property in the Czech Republic
October 2018 Ye Jianming official charged with bribery. Still remains Zeman's advisor
Chinese Investment Forum in Prague. Zeman meets with the head of the CITIC Group
November 3-6 2018 Zeman's 4th visit to PRC
Zeman meets with Xi Jinping and attends China International Import Expo 2018 in Shanghai
December 2018 BIS publishes an annual report for 2017 warning about China and Russia
December 2018 Zeman criticizes BIS for its annual report and calls them incompetent as according to him there are no Chinese or Russian spies in the Czech Republic
December 2018 NUKIB publishes warnings against using Huawei and ZTE technologies
December 25th, 2018 On-demand of the Chinese ambassador PM Babis meets with him to talk about the NUKIB warnings against Huawei and ZTE
December PM Babis is surprised that Chinese ambassador spoke about the meeting on the Facebook page of the Chinese embassy instead of issuing a joined public statement as is the norm
2019
January 6th, 2019 PM Babis states for media that the Chinese ambassador lied about the meeting in his Facebook post
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January 10th, 2019 Foreign Minister Petricek meets with the Chinese ambassador but the Facebook post remains online until today
January 2019 The new mayor of Prague Hrib wants to remove an article about One China Policy from its sister city agreement with Beijing
February 2019 Prague city hall continues in the tradition of hoisting Tibetan flag after 4 years when previous Prague leadership stopped as they wanted to gain panda to the Prague Zoo
March 2019 Patrick Ho sentenced to prison for bribery for 3 years
March 2019 At the meeting of ambassadors with the Minister of Industry and Trade Ministry, the Minister was asked by the Chinese ambassador to kick out Taiwan's representative and the Minister obliged
Prague mayor Hrib says that he was asked the same by the Chinese ambassador at New Year's meeting with ambassadors but he did not expel the Taiwanese representative
April 24-29 2019 Zeman's 5th trip to PRC to attend the BRI summit
PRC cancels performances of the artist connected to Prague as a retaliation for the steps done by new Prague's leadership
October 8th, 2019 Rector of the Charles University Tomas Zima signs in silence agreement with Home Credit with the clause about not damage each other's names – sparks criticism about the possible impact on academic freedoms
October 10th, 2019 Home Credit cancels the agreements with the Charles University under the pressure from the public criticism
October 10th, 2019 Beijing cancels the sister city agreement before Prague can do it first October 25th, 2019 Conferences about PRC organized on the Charles University by
Centrum of Security Politics were financed by the Chinese embassy
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October 27th, 2019 PPF Group buys Central European Media under which is the TV Nova which has the most-watched evening news program
November 2019 BIS warns against PRC in its 2018 annual report
December 2019 Home Credit paying PR agency C&B in order to improve the public image of the People's Republic of China in the Czech Republic becomes known.
December 2019 CITIC Europe Holdings finishes all the acquisitions of the CEFC Europe property in the Czech Republic and its head becomes No. 2 in the whole CITIC Group Cai Huaxiang
2020
January 2020 Shanghai cancels sister agreement with Prague due to Prague's recent steps
January 2020 Zeman might not go to PRC as he realizes that the promised investments were not delivered
February 2020 New law limiting foreign investments to critical industries is under development by the Ministry of Industry and Trade – would have an impact on Chinese companies and their investments e.g. Huawei February 2020 Letter from the Chinese embassy delivered to the deceased president of
the Senate through the presidential office was found threatening him and Czech companies if he will go to Taiwan
March 6th, 2020 Presidential advisors Mynar and Nejedly went to PRC deliver a letter from Zeman to Xi Jinping telling him that Zeman will go to PRC in April
March 19th, 2020 President Zeman thanks to PRC as the only country that helped us to deliver these (medical) supplies in his speech to the public about the virus situation
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March 20th, 2020 The first plane with the medical supplies arrives at Vaclav Havel's airport from the PRC and the Czech PM Babis and Minister of Interior Hamacek thanks to the Chinese ambassador who is also present. (These supplies were properly paid for, it was not a gift)
April 3rd, 2020 Jaroslav Tvrdik former president of CEFC Europe now in CITIC European Holdings board member becomes a member of the pandemic task force
April 2020 It was found out that report published on possible loses if Huawei will not be able to build 5G networks in the Czech Republic was ordered and paid for by Huawei
April 2020 CITIC Group through Rainbow Wisdom Investment gained the majority in Medea
Table 1 - Timeline
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