The Czech Republic supports Taiwan’s international participation and is determined to consolidate long-term cooperation with the nation, Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova said yesterday during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Adamova is leading a 160-member delegation on a five-day visit to Taiwan until tomorrow to “show support for Taiwan’s democracy,” she said.
The Czech Republic is looking to expand and deepen cooperation with Taiwan to bring benefits to both sides as well as third parties, she added.
Photo: CNA
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, celebrating close and stable relations between the two nations, Adamova said.
Taiwan is the Czech Republic’s priority democratic partner in Asia, she said, adding that “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the necessary condition for security and prosperity in the world.”
She voiced support for Taiwan’s efforts to join the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international bodies, as the nation “has the right to share its expertise and learn from other countries.”
Shared values, most importantly freedom, democracy and human rights, can help the two nations withstand pressure from the outside, Adamova said.
She said she was delighted by the news that China Airlines Ltd (中華航空) would offer twice-weekly direct flights between Taiwan and Prague starting in July, adding that the route would be beneficial to both nations.
Tsai thanked Adamova for visiting Taiwan despite ongoing pressure from China, calling the trip “an important milestone for the Taiwan-Czech relationship.”
After speaking on the telephone with Czech President Petr Pavel, the two leaders believe that Taiwan and the Czech Republic can boost cooperation in all fields based on their friendly ties, she said.
Many Taiwanese businesses have shown an interest in investing in the Czech Republic after the Central and Eastern Europe Investment Fund was established last year, which indicates that more cooperation between the two sides can be expected, she added.
In related news, the Czech Hub in Taiwan opened yesterday to promote cooperation between companies, academic institutions, start-ups, cultural institutions and non-governmental organizations in Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
The hub, which was established by the European Values Center for Security Policy Taiwan Office and the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, would serve as a platform for Czech and Taiwanese partners in various fields, Adamova said at the opening ceremony.
The Czech Republic “would like to become Taiwan’s best friend in Europe,” she said, calling on other nations to set up similar hubs in Taiwan to boost ties with the nation.
As European nations are seeking to reduce their reliance on Beijing, working with Taiwan, a democratic nation with a free market, has become an attractive option, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roy Lee (李淳) said.
While breakthroughs in official relations between Taiwan and European nations are difficult to predict, there would be more opportunities for Europe to deepen and broaden cooperation with Taiwan, he said.
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