Prague Philharmonia to perform in Taiwan in 2021: culture minister

Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) The Prague Philharmonia will perform in Taiwan next year, Culture Minister Lee Yung-te (李永得) announced Monday after meeting with members of a visiting delegation from the Czech Republic.

The orchestra will come to Taiwan from September to October in 2021, Lee told reporters after the meeting, which he said also focused on areas where the two countries can increase cultural exchanges.

These include the translation of literary works and promoting artist residencies for young people in Taiwan and the Czech Republic, Lee said.

The officials Lee met with Monday included Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, Czech Senate Vice President Jiří Růžička, and Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office Patrick Rumlar.

Prague Philharmonia General Director Kateřina Kalistová, and president of PEN International's Czech Center, Jiří Dědeček, were also present at the meeting.

The Prague Philharmonia was caught up in a dispute between Beijing and Prague in early 2019, when newly-elected Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib asked Beijing about removing the "one-China policy" clause in their sister city agreement.

In retaliation, Beijing canceled a tour of China by the Prague Philharmonia scheduled for later that year.

Hřib was undeterred by the move, and told the BBC in an interview at the time that "if (the orchestra) cannot go to China, they will perform in Taiwan."

Later that year, Prague ended its sister city agreement with Beijing, and instead established ties with Taipei in January 2020.