TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) on Tuesday (July 19) visited the town of Telc, located in the Vysocina region of the Czech Republic, to meet with local officials.

You, who is leading a delegation to the central European nation, traveled to the town with Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil and was warmly welcomed by Telc Mayor Vladimir Brtnik and Vitezslav Schrek, governor of Vysocina region. You’s delegation includes Legislators Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰), Jang Chyi-lu (張其祿), Kung Wen-chi (孔文吉), and Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲).

The group discussed and exchanged views on Taiwan-Czech tourism, network security, the technology industry, agricultural promotion, and other topics with Brtnik and Schrek, You said in a Facebook post.

He said he felt honored to visit the town, which has a population of approximately 5,000. The legislative speaker said that after visiting Telc, he realized the reason the town is so great is because of favorable natural and environmental conditions and residents attaching great importance to the preservation of historical sites.

Telc retains the Italian Renaissance-style buildings of the 16th century, which is rare in Central Europe, per CNA. In 1992, it was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

Vystrcil said that when he and his wife visited Taiwan two years ago, they visited Yilan, You's hometown, and found that Yilan, like Telc, is a city that values ​​culture and art. Thus, he arranged for You to come to his hometown to experience Czech customs and culture firsthand.

The Czech senate president said he looked forward to the Legislative Yuan delegation’s return to Taiwan to help promote the beauty of Telc, so more Taiwanese tourists will visit.

You and his party also laid flowers and lit candles at a plaque dedicated to Olga Havlova, the first wife of former Czech President Vaclav Havel. Havlova was a key figure in the Czech Republic’s road to democratization, You said.