Visiting Czech parliamentarian calls out PRC's military intimidation

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) Czech parliamentarian Marek Benda, head of a four-member delegation currently visiting Taiwan, has criticized China's military intimidation in the Taiwan Strait and thanked Taiwan for its support of Ukraine.

Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not merely issues between Taiwan and China but also affect the security of shipping routes throughout Southeast Asia, Benda said during a meeting with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday.

The visiting group "categorically rejects" military intimidation from the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the region, said Benda, a member of the Czech Parliament's Chamber of Deputies and chairperson of the body's Taiwan friendship group.

Taiwan and the Czech Republic have worked to preserve democracy and respect human rights under the shadow of "a big brother," Benda said, likely alluding to China and Russia, and he thanked Taipei for standing in solidarity with Ukrainians as they continue to fight Russian troops.

He also envisioned that bilateral ties between Taiwan and the Czech Republic would be further enhanced through exchanges in the semiconductor and cultural sectors.

Mutually beneficial economic cooperation is critical to bilateral ties, as Czech businesses are eager to be part of global semiconductor supply chains, he said.

Speaking in a similar vein, Lai said he looked forward to more collaboration between the two sides on semiconductors, information security and culture, among other fields.

The president highlighted some of the joint efforts initiated in recent years, such as the establishment of the Czech Center Taipei in June and the launch of direct flights between Taipei and Prague last year.

Partly funded by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Czech Center Taipei is a cultural institute tasked with promoting Czech culture and strengthening cultural ties between the Czech Republic and Taiwan.

Joining Benda at the meeting at the Presidential Office were three other parliamentarians -- Civic Democratic Party Vice Chairwoman Eva Decroix, Jakub Michálek of the Czech Pirate Party, and Jan Jakob of the TOP 09 party, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The delegation's visit to Taiwan from Monday to Thursday will also include meetings with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), MOFA said.