TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will meet with Czech President Petr Pavel during her trip to the central European country. 

The two will meet at the sidelines of this year's Forum 2000 in Prague, Czech magazine Reflex reported. Tsai congratulated Pavel via telephone after he won the general election in January 2023.

Tsai will deliver the speech “Overcoming Authoritarian Threat through Democratic Unity” on Monday (Oct. 14). She previously delivered remarks at Forum 2000 during her presidency in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Czech Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Daniel Drake said Tsai’s visit “is a private trip organized by an independent organization."

Tsai is also scheduled to meet Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil and Chamber of Deputies President Marketa Pekarova Adamova. Vystrcil and Adamova visited Taiwan in September 2020 and March 2024, respectively.

Last Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry said it opposed “any Taiwan independence elements visiting countries that establish diplomatic relations with China in any name.” It urged the Czech Republic to “respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Tsai’s European trip also includes stops in France and the European Parliament in Belgium. The former president’s plan to visit London was canceled due to the British Foreign Office’s concern it could compromise Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s first official visit to China next week.