When the spectacular architecture of Prague stood in for Paris in a recent Chinese film, it was a stroke of serendipity for the Czech Republic. A new era of film-industry cooperation, as well as tourism, has ensued between the two countries.

Xu Jinglei's film, "Somewhere Only We Know", was a hit with Chinese audiences in 2015.

Xu Jinglei's film, "Somewhere Only We Know", was a hit with Chinese audiences in 2015. But it was the movie's backdrop, as much as its love story, that won them over.

"They started looking for some European city. At first they wanted to film in Paris, but it would have cost a lot. So they decided to film in Prague in the end," said Thomas Krejci, executive producer of Milk and Honey Pictures.

Chinese filmmakers enjoy a lower tax rate in Prague, compared to Paris, and more are following Xu Jinglei's lead. Prague-based independent film company, Milk and Honey Pictures, currently have three Chinese films in the works.

With more international film crews now coming to the Czech Republic, the country's tourism is also getting a boost.

Movie-making and tourism point to the growing level of economic and cultural exchange between the two countries.

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