TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky over the phone, affirming their support for Taiwan and Ukraine.

The U.S. Department of State stated on Wednesday (March 13) saying that both countries shared strong, democratic values, per CNA. The U.S. and Czech Republic reaffirmed their support for Ukraine against Russian aggression and also discussed bilateral coordination on the Czech Republic’s defense modernization.

Blinken and Lipavsky also discussed the challenges posed by China to the rules-based order, reported CNA. Both countries will cooperate with Indo-Pacific allies and deepen their support for Taiwan, they said.

The Czech Republic has become one of Taiwan’s closest supporters in Europe in recent years, per the Council on Foreign Relations. President of the Czech Republic Peter Pavel was the first EU head of state to accept a phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) after he was elected in January 2023, which received backlash from Beijing.

Trade relations between the two countries are growing, with Taiwan investing more than NT$34.48 trillion (US$1.09 billion) in the Czech Republic, per East Asia Forum.