Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers castigated the Prague City Council’s support for China’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan in a sistership agreement that the city has signed with Beijing, and called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the premier to express the nation’s disapproval.
The city assembly on Thursday ratified an agreement which included a clause stating that “Prague recognizes the one-China policy, as well as recognizes Taiwan as an inseparable part of Chinese territory.”
The phrase was a major impediment to the signing of the agreement — which has been under negotiation since the summer of last year. The council’s final decision has met the opprobrium of Taiwanese legislators and Czech councilors alike.
DPP Legislator Chou Chun-mi (周春米) on Friday demanded to know the nation’s response to the slight on the nation’s sovereignty after raising the issue with Premier Simon Chang (張善政).
Chang said the nation did not recognize the claim, adding that the Republic of China (ROC) was not involved in the negotiating or signing of the agreement.
Other countries have similar deals, and while the government must respond to the incident, it is not within the remit of the Legislative Yuan to do so, Chang said, adding that the government must have an appropriate platform to tender its protests to the Czech government.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said the ministry would strongly protest any action slighting Taiwan’s sovereignty, adding that the foreign ministry would express its concerns to the Czech government.
While Prague Mayor Adriana Krnacova said that the agreement was mutually beneficial to both Beijing and Prague, and called for an increase in exchanges aimed at mutual development and prosperity, its passage has caused controversy in the city assembly.
According to reports in the Prague Post, assembly member Lukas Kaucky of the Czech Socialist Democratic Party said the policy was in line with the Czech Republic’s foreign policy and that it was passed because Prague also has a sister city agreement with Taipei, which was signed in 2001.
However, Tradition Responsibility Prosperity party founder Miroslav Kalousek said the city had overstepped its authority by engaging in activity that falls under the purview of the national government, according to the report.
“There’s no reason why a clause about high-level international policy should be in an agreement between two cities,” Kalousek said, adding that its only possible purpose was to show timidity and submissiveness to an authoritarian regime, the report said.
“With a partnership with Beijing where Prague recognizes Taiwan as part of China and disagrees with an independent Tibet. It is an undignified shame on Prague,” Assembly member Ondeej Mirovsky said on Facebook.
The foreign ministry has ordered the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague to protest the incident while asking for a clarification on the issue from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as demanding that the Czech government rectify the situation.
The ROC has always been a sovereign, independent and democratic nation since its founding in 1912, has independent diplomatic relations and is an active member in international organizations, Lin said.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS