TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Czech Senator Jiri Drahos exchanged views on cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the Czech Republic during a luncheon on Tuesday (Sept. 20).
Wu said that since Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil visited Taiwan in 2020, bilateral relations have continuously improved, especially as China recently conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. He thanked the Czech Senate for its friendship and for boosting Taiwanese morale and demonstrating the solid foundation on which Taiwan-Czech relations are conducted, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.
Wu also said that this delegation’s visit reminded him of the hospitality of the Czechs when he was in the central European nation last October, which left a good impression on him. The foreign minister said he believed the delegation will feel the same way toward the Taiwanese.
Wu thanked the Czech government for supporting Taiwan’s international participation. He pointed out that the Czech Senate passed a resolution backing Taiwan’s inclusion in global organizations, while the Czech government spoke up for the East Asian democracy at the World Health Assembly for the first time.
The Taiwanese are deeply impressed and would like to reaffirm the idea that Taiwan and the Czech Republic are like-minded partners who share the values of freedom, democracy and human rights.
Senator Jiri Drahos thanked Taiwan for the warm reception. Although Taiwan and the Czech Republic are thousands of miles apart, the two sides are closely connected due to shared values, he said.
He noted that Taiwan and its democratic allies jointly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and aided Ukraine, which he said was very admirable.
Drahos lauded the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries on pandemic prevention and public health, which included mask and vaccine donations. He said this shows the solidarity of democratic partners.
Drahos said the two countries have close interactions and that he looks forward to more bilateral exchanges and cooperation. He listed direct flights as a major goal of the Czech Republic.
The senator also mentioned cooperation in the semiconductor industry and strengthening democratic supply chains as other areas the central European country would like to work on with Taiwan. The two countries will sign memorandums of cooperation in the fields of science and education, MOFA said.
Drahos' delegation includes Eva Zazimalova, head of the Czech Academy of Sciences; Radka Wildova, deputy education minister; Jana Havlikova, deputy science and technology minister; scientists, business people, and officials.
