Since a Slovak flying car starred at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), an upgraded version was showcased at this year’s fair, also attracting visitors’ attention. For Wang Jiahua, an overseas Chinese who introduced the two cars from Slovakia to the expo, Chinese investors’ enthusiasm has comforted him.

The Slovak flying car exhibited at the 2nd China International Import Expo. [Photo provided by the interviewee]

As the president of the Slovak Shanghai Friendship Association, Wang has been committed to promoting economic and cultural exchanges between Shanghai and Slovakia for many years, for example organizing Slovak youths to participate in the Shanghai International Youth Campus Football Invitational Tournament for four consecutive years, and inviting Chinese photographers to shoot in Slovakia.

Speaking of the reason why he introduced the Slovak flying cars to CIIE, Wang said that he hoped to show the latest Slovak technology to the world through the exhibition platform and help the Slovak company which designed the car to find Chinese partners. “Currently, the car is still in the R&D phase. The company hopes to seek capital from Chinese investors to jointly develop a new generation of product," Wang explained.

Different from the last flying car, AeroMobil, the KLEIN Aircar is not a model but a working one. Switching from the car form to the flight mode, it is a small fixed-wing aircraft with a length and width of eight meters. In terms of endurance and lift, this flying car is better than the one last year.

Wang Jiahua, president of the Slovak Shanghai Friendship Association in front of the flying car. [Photo provided by the interviewee]

The flying car has received much attention since it arrived. The Vice Prime Ministers of both China and Slovakia visited to see the car. Slovakian TV media participating in the Expo with the Slovak government delegation have also made comprehensive reports on the expo and the flying car, causing lots of sensation and further helping the Slovak people understand about China and Shanghai.

The designer of the KLEIN Aircar and Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister for Investment and Information Richard Raši at the CIIE. [Photo provided by the interviewee]

Mr Wang said frankly that promoting the Slovak companies to participate in the CIIE has not been without any difficulties. Since it was the first time China had held such an import expo, the Slovak company AeroMobil had their concerns in participating at first. With the help of the Chinese embassy and consulate in Slovakia and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Department, and also with Mr Wang’s efforts, the company made its decision to participate. This year he also encountered twists and turns in promoting the KLEIN Aircar to take part in the expo. When the production procedure was too slow for the exhibit to be ready for the opening time of the expo, Mr Wang discussed with the designer and the investors to re-schedule the manufacturing and speed up the manufacture, so as to transport it in time to China.

Mr Wang, who went abroad following the Chinese craze for going abroad in the early 1990s, has lived overseas for 26 years and is very proud of his country’s successful hosting of the world’s first import fair. “The annual import fair shows that China’s purchasing power cannot be underestimated. It reflects China’s growing national strength. The Expo provides the world with a broad stage. It is in line with the Chinese strategic policy of ‘going out and coming in’, and can make further use of overseas Chinese at home and abroad. Slovak Deputy Prime Minister for Investment and Information Richard Raši vowed to the Chinese authorities to organize more Slovak companies to attend next year."

Personally, Mr Wang will try to recommend more mature products and better new technologies to CIIE to further deepen the connection between China and Slovakia.