TAOYUAN (Taiwan News) — Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil and his delegation landed at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at 11 a.m. on Sunday (Aug. 30), kicking off the highest-level and highest-profile visit to Taiwan by Czech government officials in the history of the countries' bilateral relations.
The China Airlines charter flight left Prague Saturday (Aug. 29) and made its way to Taipei without any layovers. Before boarding, members of the 89-strong delegation submitted negative results from nucleic acid COVID-19 tests, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and epidemic prevention guidelines were reportedly followed for the duration of the journey.
The group was received at the airport by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
During their five-day stay in the Taiwanese capital, members of the group will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and high-ranking members of the Cabinet, including the ministers of Health and Welfare, Science and Technology, and Culture. Vystrcil is scheduled to deliver a speech at National Cheng-Chi University Monday afternoon (Aug. 31).
President Tsai extended a welcome to the group on Twitter, writing, "Our nations share many core values & we look forward to furthering cooperation in all areas."
The delegation has rankled Beijing, which has long insisted other countries adhere to its interpretation of the "one China policy" and refrain from engaging in diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which it views as a breakaway province.
Earlier this year, the Chinese embassy in Prague sent threatening letters to Vystrcil's predecessor, then-Senate leader Jaroslav Kubera, after he announced his intention to visit Taiwan in an official capacity. However, Kubera died suddenly before he could make such a trip.
The delegation comes as public opinion in the former communist country continues to sour toward the Chinese government over the coronavirus, its human rights abuses in Hong Kong and elsewhere, and its failure to deliver on its pledge to step up investment. This has disillusioned Czech leaders like President Milos Zeman, who has traditionally favored closer ties with Beijing, and emboldened those sympathetic to democratic Taiwan.
On behalf of the people of #Taiwan, I’d like to extend a sincere welcome to #CzechRepublic @SenatCZ President @Vystrcil_Milos & all the members of the delegation. Our nations share many core values & we look forward to furthering cooperation in all areas. pic.twitter.com/qEKXB3MLPH
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) August 30, 2020
