Czech official praises Taiwan-backed reconstruction effort in Ukraine

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Visiting Czech government official Tomáš Kopečný on Monday praised a joint humanitarian project with Taiwan for bringing drinking water, heat and power to more than 100,000 Ukrainians.

At a press event hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Taipei, the Czech governmental envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine said Taiwan should be recognized as an "international humanitarian actor" for its ongoing support.

Since Prague and Taipei agreed to cooperate on the reconstruction of water treatment facilities, gas-fired cogeneration power plants, and primary health care facilities at the end of last year, it has only taken a few months to achieve fruitful results, Kopečný said.

According to Kopečný, Czech-Taiwanese cooperation has already provided drinking water to 130,000 people and secure heat and power for more than 100,000 people in Ukraine.

A similar joint effort has also established pediatric, gynecology, emergency and general surgery clinics in areas of eastern Ukraine devastated by the Russian invasion, he added.

Kopečný said the purpose of his ongoing two-day visit to Taiwan was to report on the concrete results of Czech-Taiwanese reconstruction efforts under two MOUs signed in November and December 2023.

Kopečný, who previously visited Taipei to sign the first of these agreements, added that he would also use this trip to discuss the possibility of long-term cooperation on Ukranian reconstruction with Taiwan's government.

The Czech official said he had witnessed firsthand "how actively and supportive are Taiwanese to Ukraine."

This had sent a strong message to the world that Taiwan is "not just standing there saying that is wrong [Russian invasion of Ukraine] but is actually doing something," Kopečný said.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Taiwan's government and its people have donated 27 tons of emergency medical supplies and 700 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukrainians, according to MOFA.

Taiwan has also donated more than US$41 million to humanitarian organizations working with Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Lithuania to help settle Ukrainian refugees in those countries, MOFA said.