Czech president-elect Petr Pavel on Monday spoke with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), an unprecedented event considering that the two countries have no formal ties. Unsurprisingly, China was angry.
However, Pavel had a legitimate reason. Judging from what has happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unrealistic to expect that Czech-China relations will improve. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to escalate, with no sign of a ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered a huge bounty to anyone who destroys Western tanks, and Russian and Chinese leaders are planning to meet in the spring.
Meanwhile, interactions between Taiwan and the Czech Republic have been held on the basis of shared values.
Pavel is to succeed pro-China Czech President Milos Zeman. His stance is much closer to those of Europe and the US, and signs that he would also be friendly to Taiwan are not surprising.
Some changes have already materialized in Prague’s diplomacy. The Czech Republic was initially an important partner for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and Prague at the time said that it looked forward to the economic benefits of its ties with China.
However, a significant investment promised by CEFC China Energy Co in 2018 did not materialize, as reported by Foreign Policy in May 2020, and the Czech government started having doubts about China. On Sept. 11, 2019, the institution that promoted commercial cooperation between the two countries was shut down. In 2020, after the sudden death of then-Czech Senate president Jaroslav Kubera, distrust of China increased.
After Russia designated the US and the Czech Republic as “unfriendly countries,” Prague dismissed Moscow’s move and aligned itself closer with Washington. When US President Joe Biden announced his administration’s strong support for Ukraine at a NATO summit, his statement dispelled doubts of US allies in central and eastern Europe, and reinforced Prague’s pro-US stance.
The US has accused Beijing of interference in Taiwan’s diplomatic affairs, a move with which the US, among other reasons, aimed to evoke anti-communist consciousness among democracies, including in central and eastern Europe.
Ahead of the Pavel-Tsai call, Prague was likely well aware of the consequences of angering China, as seen in Lithuania and other European countries.
Confronted with the pandemic, a chip shortage and threats from authoritarian regimes, Prague realized the importance of collaborating with Taiwan and upholding the values the two nations share. The call clearly demonstrated that.
Pavel told Tsai that Taiwan is a “trustworthy partner,” and that he supports the nation’s efforts to keep its lively democratic system free from authoritarian coercion.
Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky has said that Prague would re-evaluate its ties with China and that Taiwan is the country it needs ties with.
As a pro-China Czech president is to leave office, a front based on pro-European, pro-US democratic values is being formed. A new Czech president, who has symbolic power, the executive branch and the Taiwan-friendly majority in the Czech Congress will all be in place.
It is the right moment for Taipei to work with Prague to stipulate policies favoring Taiwan. Other nations that share Taiwan’s values can also bolster the Taiwan-Czech ties, and Taipei should seize the opportunity to propose collaborations.
Chang Meng-jen is chair of Fu Jen Catholic University’s Department of Italian Language and Culture, and coordinator of the university’s diplomacy and international affairs program.
Translated by Liu Yi-hung
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