BEIJING - China has voiced appreciation for Czech President Milos Zeman's efforts to defuse a row with Beijing over a visit by the head of the Czech Senate to Taiwan, which Mr Zeman called a "boyish provocation".

Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil grabbed headlines last week when he told Taiwan's Parliament "I am a Taiwanese" in a speech that echoed the late US President John F. Kennedy's defiance of communism in Berlin in 1963.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Monday said: "China appreciates President Zeman's dedication to advancing friendship and cooperation between the Czech Republic and China, and his firm position on major and sensitive issues relating to China."

Noting that the sound development of bilateral relations serves the common interests of both countries, Mr Zhao said: "We hope to work together with the Czech Republic on the basis of mutual respect and equality to rise above disturbances and move relations forward."

On Mr Zeman's expressed hope of attending a summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), Mr Zhao said China would like to extend a welcome to Mr Zeman to the China-CEEC Summit.

Mr Zeman has sought closer business and political ties with China since taking office in 2013, but his efforts have been hit by failed investment plans and have divided politicians.

A delegation of about 90 Czech politicians, entrepreneurs, scientists and journalists led by senate speaker Vystrcil visited Taiwan from Aug 30 to Sept 4.

The Czech centre-left government officially accepts the "one China" policy, which is a prerequisite for countries which want to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing to acknowledge Taiwan and China are part of the same China, and Beijing is the seat of government.

Mr Vystrcil, however, is a member of the right-wing opposition Civic Democrats and is not bound by the protocol.

China, angered by Mr Vystrcil's trip, had said the Czech speaker would "pay a heavy price" for visiting Taiwan.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Aug 31: "The Chinese government and Chinese people won't take a laissez-faire attitude or sit idly by, and will make him (Vystrcil) pay a heavy price for his short-sighted behaviour and political opportunism."

That had prompted Prague to summon China's ambassador to explain comments that it said "crossed the line".

"Minister Wang's statement has crossed the line, such strong words don't belong in relations between two sovereign countries," Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said on Twitter, calling for cooperation "without emotions which don't belong in diplomacy".

But Mr Wang, during a trip to Germany, stood his ground on last Tuesday (Sept 1), saying: "China has to tell the Czech senate president: 'You crossed the line.'"

On Sunday, Mr Zeman said in an interview on broadcaster Prima that he would stop inviting Mr Vystrcil to meetings of the state's top foreign policy officials and said his trip could be damaging for firms, but that China's comments were exaggerated.

"I consider it boyish provocation," Mr Zeman said of Mr Vystrcil's Taiwan trip.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis said later on the same debate show that he would fight to prevent fallout for Czech companies.

The Czech Republic, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan although Taiwan is a large investor in the country.

Many Czech companies operate in or export to China, the world's second-largest economy. The richest Czech Petr Kellner's Home Credit is a major consumer lender in China while the country is also the largest single market for Skoda Auto, the Czech car unit of Volkswagen.

Additional reporting by Reuters