Czech Senate president to visit Taiwan, seeks stronger bilateral cooperation

Prague, May 29 (CNA) Taiwan and the Czech Republic, as free and democratic countries, should support each other and strengthen bilateral cooperation, Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil said in a recent interview with CNA ahead of his upcoming visit to Taiwan.

The Senate president is scheduled to lead a delegation of around 40 people on a visit to Taiwan from June 1-4, marking his second trip to the country since he first visited in August 2020.

Vystrčil said the primary goal of the trip was to demonstrate mutual support between the two sides and help further strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation on both the political and people-to-people levels.

During the visit, he is scheduled to meet with senior Taiwanese officials and attend a series of events, including a symposium on former Czech President Václav Havel at National Chengchi University, the unveiling of a "Havel's Bench" installation at Taipei's Daan Park, and a screening of the documentary "Jsem Tchajwanec" (I am Taiwanese), which chronicles his 2020 trip to Taiwan.

Havel, the Czech Republic's first president, was a dissident who played a prominent role in the movement in the late 1980s against communist rule, and became a symbol of resistance to authoritarianism and an advocate for freedom and democracy.

Vystrčil said the events carry important symbolic significance, as they not only commemorate Havel's legacy, but also reflect the shared values of the Czech Republic and Taiwan as democratic societies.

Looking back on the development of Taiwan-Czech relations over the past six years, Vystrčil said one of the things he was most pleased with was the launch of direct flights between Taipei and Prague.

China Airlines launched the Taipei-Prague route in July 2023, the first regular direct flight between the two destinations. The service has shortened travel time between Taiwan and the Czech Republic and boosted tourism, as well as business and people-to-people exchanges.

Vystrčil said that since his last visit, cooperation between the two sides has continued to deepen, with a range of business and academic projects taking shape, including supply chain research, semiconductor technology cooperation, the establishment of research centers, and student exchange programs.

Vystrčil defends upcoming Taiwan visit

Asked if China could exert pressure over the visit, Vystrčil said the Czech Republic would not bow to such pressure, adding that the visit was in the interests of the Czech Republic and Taiwan.

He said bilateral trade between the two sides has risen significantly in recent years, while Taiwanese investment in the country has also increased.

Vystrčil also recently met with Taiwanese companies operating in the Czech Republic, including CTi Europe s.r.o and Foxconn, and said related investment projects were continuing to advance.

He added that Taiwan has created nearly 25,000 jobs in the Czech Republic, saying the results show the relationship has delivered tangible economic benefits rather than being purely political.

However, his planned Taiwan trip has also sparked debate in Czech politics.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who was elected late last year, recently said he will not provide a government aircraft for the trip, saying he did not want it to be seen as an official endorsement that could harm Czech business interests in China.

At a Senate press conference earlier this week, Vystrčil said he did not oppose economic and trade ties with China, but said they must be based on equality and mutual benefit, warning against turning trade relations into one-sided dependence.