The friendly partnership of cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Poland continued to expand in 2008, as evidenced by deepening exchanges and cooperation across the board.
Leaders of the two countries maintained contact, and exchanges between government agencies and legislative bodies were frequent. On 14-17 January, Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan visited Poland. He had meetings and talks with President Lech Kaczynski, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on bilateral relations, trade and economic cooperation in particular, and reached broad consensus. A purchase contract of electrolytic copper between China Minmetals Corporation and KGHM Polska Miedz SA of Poland and a contract on the purchase of spare parts for 150 aircraft were signed during the visit. On 21-25 October, Prime Minister Tusk paid an official visit to China and attended the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting. He had a meeting with President Hu Jintao and held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao. Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Chen Haosu, Vice Chairman of the NPC Ethnic Affairs Committee Lu Bing, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Huang Shuxian, Vice Agriculture Minister Niu Dun, Vice Railway Minister Lu Chunfang, Vice Communications Minister Xu Zuyuan, and Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission Xie Zhenhua and Wang Jinxiang visited Poland in the course of the year. President of the National Olympic Committee Piotr Nurowski led Polish Olympians to the Beijing Olympic Games. Minister of Sport and Tourism Miroslaw Drzewiecki attended the opening ceremony of the Games, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Grzegorz Schetyna attended the closing ceremony. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Pawlak travelled to Xiamen for the China International Fair for Investment and Trade, attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games and had a meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Sejm Krzysztof Lisek and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate Leon Kieres attended the Fifth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting in China.
The two foreign ministers maintained exchanges. In October, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ryszard Schnepf visited China and met with Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hongbo. Directors-general in charge of bilateral relations in the two foreign ministries exchanged views twice on the further growth of China-Poland relations.
Trade and economic cooperation expanded rapidly. Two-way trade volume set a new record and Poland remained China's largest trading partner in central and eastern Europe. Visits between the business communities were frequent and mutual investment was on the rise.
Cultural cooperation was strengthened and exchanges between local authorities were flourishing. In May, Secretary of State of the ministry of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Zuchowski visited China and attended Polish cultural festival activities. Exchange of visits and performances between Chinese and Polish arts troupes increased. The Confucius Institute in the Jagiellonian University in Cracow functioned smoothly, and new Confucius Institutes were opened in the Adam Mickiewicz University, Opole University of Technology and University of Wroclaw. Exchanges between the existing 12 pairs of sister provinces/cities were frequent and their cooperation was enriched.
Following the devastating Wenchuan earthquake, President Kaczynski, Speaker of the Sejm Bronislaw Komorowski, Speaker of the Senate Bogdan Borusewicz, Prime Minister Tusk and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski sent messages of condolence to their Chinese Counterparts. The government of Poland donated US$100,000 and 160 military tents worth US$650,000.