On October 28th local time, a grand groundbreaking ceremony was held in the Surani Industrial Park in the southern Slovak city. Chinese power battery company Guoxuan High Tech has officially launched its European battery super factory project, with a total investment of 1.2 billion euros, which will become one of the largest industrial investment projects in Slovakia in recent years.

According to the announcement released by Guoxuan High Tech in December last year, the Slovak project plans to build a high-performance lithium battery and supporting industrial base with an annual output of 20GWh, with an expected construction period of 3 years. The project is located in the Surani Industrial Park in southern Slovakia, in the heart of Europe, with a superior geographical location. According to the plan, the factory will be built and put into operation in 2027.

Slovak Minister of Economy Zakova pointed out during the introduction of the project that it is not only one of the large-scale investment projects in Slovakia, but will also create over 1000 direct employment opportunities and drive the development of related supporting industries, significantly boosting regional economic growth.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister Fizo's speech was particularly eye-catching. He emphasized that "our relationship with China is based on respect for international law and the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs." This statement is seen as a response to the questioning voices within the European Union.

Fizo recalled that as early as 2023, the project was under discussion. "At that time, many people within the European Union warned us not to do it, saying that it would bring 'risks' to our country. But suddenly, the European Commission launched an official plan to provide over 8 billion euros in subsidies for the production of electric vehicle batteries." This contrasting statement highlights the independent position of the Slovak government in foreign cooperation.

The Slovak government believes that the launch of the Gigafactory project is due to its independent foreign policy. Fizo stated that he believes the plan jointly formulated by both Sri Lanka and China, as well as their support, will ensure the smooth achievement of the established goals by 2027.

The landing of the Guoxuan High Tech Slovakia factory coincides with a critical period of accelerating the localization of the electric vehicle industry chain in Europe. According to the "startitup" website, Fizo has been working hard to attract more Chinese companies to invest in Slovakia, which differs significantly from the positions of some people within the EU on issues such as the rule of law, energy, and policies towards Ukraine.

The uniqueness of this investment project lies not only in its important layout for Chinese enterprises in Europe, but also in the differences in development path choices among different countries in the process of restructuring the European electric vehicle industry chain. Slovakia, as a traditional automobile manufacturing hub, is actively embracing the industrial chain opportunities of the electric vehicle era.

The promotion of the Guoxuan High Tech Slovakia project marks a new stage of industrial cooperation between China and Europe. From initial skepticism within the EU to now receiving support from senior government officials, this shift reflects that pragmatic cooperation is becoming an important foundation for China Europe relations. Keywords: the Belt and Road, the Belt and Road project news

The successful implementation of this project will not only bring employment and economic growth to Slovakia, but more importantly, help Europe improve its local electric vehicle industry chain. Against the backdrop of intensified competition in the global new energy industry, this mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation model may provide new ideas for China Europe economic and trade relations.Editor/Cheng Liting