TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the State of Kansas and the Czech Republic signed a Statement of Mutual Cooperation. The statement will allow for greater cooperation between Kansas and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade related to trade, business development, technological research, and several other key areas.
“I am proud of the work the Kansas Department of Commerce has done to strengthen Kansas’ ties with our partners across the globe,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This Statement of Mutual Cooperation will benefit the people of both the Czech Republic and Kansas for years to come.”
The statement will foster even stronger bilateral relations and create new avenues of cooperation among Czech and Kansan entrepreneurs, businesses, scientists, artists, universities, and other institutions. The Statement of Mutual Cooperation focuses on four key industries: aerospace; agriculture, animal health, and biotechnology; advanced manufacturing; and nanotechnologies.
“This Statement of Mutual Cooperation marks an exciting new chapter in the relationship between Kansas and the Czech Republic,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Kansas already has strong ties with Czech industry, and this agreement gives us a real framework to build on that momentum and create economic opportunities for both Kansans and Czechs for years to come.”
The statement strengthens ties between the citizens of the Czech Republic and Kansas and supports Czech cultural heritage in the state. Kansas is home to several Czech businesses as well as the town of Wilson, the Czech Capital of Kansas and one of the largest Czech-American communities in the United States.
“Relations between the Czech Republic and Kansas have deepened significantly in recent years,” Czech Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jiří Brodský said. “The statement of cooperation expresses our shared determination to elevate this partnership to a higher level, and I am very pleased that successful Czech companies are already operating in Kansas.”
“The strongest economies are built on strong relationships. This statement expresses the mutual interest to create new opportunities for Kansans to innovate, collaborate, and compete while deepening our longstanding friendship with the Czech Republic,” Representative Rui Xu, District 25, said.
“As a member of the House Commerce Committee and someone with Czech roots, I’m proud to support this Statement of Mutual Cooperation between Kansas and the Czech Republic,” Representative Laura Williams, District 30, said. “This agreement will help strengthen long-term relationships and create new opportunities for trade, innovation, investment, and job growth across Kansas.”
