Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova said that she expects her scheduled visit to Taiwan this month to bolster bilateral ties and deepen exchanges between the two countries.
The delegation that is to arrive on Saturday is expected to include more than 100 participants, and would be the largest of its kind from the Czech Republic to make an official visit to Taiwan.
Its members are to include technology sector leaders, researchers and members of government institutions, Adamova said in an interview.
Photo: Screenshot from Adamova’s Facebook page
The five-day trip is also to include the director of the Czech National Museum, who seeks to promote exchanges with museums in Taiwan, she added.
Adamova is also aiming to bolster cooperation in the semiconductor industry on behalf of her country and the rest of Europe, she said.
She said that direct flights between Prague and Taipei, which are to be launched soon, would be important to cooperation and tourism between the two countries.
“The distance between our countries is very huge,” she said, “At the same time, I think we can understand each other very well.”
Czech people know what it means to “fight for freedom and democracy,” Adamova said.
The recent election of Czech President Petr Pavel shows that the country is moving toward a new era, she added.
Former Czech president Milos Zeman was focused more on relations with China, and once visited the country for ideas on social stability, Adamova said.
“This was something incredible for us because we live in freedom and democracy,” she said, adding that she is a strong supporter of Pavel.
“As a free, democratic country, we support others who are standing behind the same values,” she said.
“We have so many common interests, there is no reason to stop this contact or not to maintain this contact,” Adamova said, addressing concerns that her visit could anger Beijing,
Adamova is scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), and has been invited to deliver a speech in the legislature.
A Czech official familiar with the matter said the 150-member delegation would include about 100 business leaders.
The official said that negotiating business agreements would be the aim of the trip, along with exchanges between academic institutions and museums.
“If there is an opportunity for military cooperation, it is not ruled out,” the person added.
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