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Czech Republic–Taiwan relations

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For relations with the Republic of China before 1949, see China–Czech Republic relations.
Czech Republic–Taiwan relations
Map indicating locations of Czech and Taiwan

Czech Republic
Taiwan
Diplomatic mission
Czech Economic and Cultural Office in TaipeiTaipei Economic and Cultural Office, Prague
Envoy
Representative David SteinkeRepresentative Liang-ruey Ke

The Czech Republic and Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) maintain strong unofficial relations.

In the absence of official diplomatic relations, the Czech Republic is represented by the Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, and Taiwan by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague.

Economic relations

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Entrance of the Foxconn CZ plant in Pardubice

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn runs its largest European operations in the Czech Republic, the company's European Union (EU) hub.[1] The subsidiary, named Foxconn CZ, is by profit one of largest companies in the Czech Republic.[2]

In August 2020, Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil traveled to Taiwan on an official visit to "promote business links" between the two countries.[3]

As part of the Business Opportunities Promotion Plan, CzechInvest opened its Taipei office in May 2024, and the Czech Centre Taipei held its ceremony in June.[4]

In August-September 2024, Taiwanese National Security Council secretary-general Joseph Wu led a delegation to the GLOBSEC Forum held in Prague. He stated in a news conference that Taiwan was planning a semiconductor cluster in the Czech Republic. Separately in Taipei, the National Development Council made a statement that the Czech Chamber of Deputies proposed providing tax incentives to support Taiwanese investments in the Czech semiconductor industry.[5]

In September 2024, the Taiwanese foreign ministry announced a joint Czech-Taiwanese semiconductor research center. The bilateral initiative includes a supply chain research center jointly managed by Charles University and National Chengchi University.[4] Taiwanese economic minister J.W. Kuo visited the Czech Republic in December 2024 to promote industrial cooperation between the two countries. He witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding pledging to set up a trade and investment service hub in Prague, and he met with Senate President Vystrčil and other officials to discuss bilateral economic exchanges.[6]

Diplomatic and cultural exchanges

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In 1994, Czech Republic Minister of the Economy Karel Dyba became the first sitting government minister to visit Taiwan.[7]

Jaroslav Kubera, President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, planned a visit to Taipei prior to his death, prompting threats of retaliation from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[8] Kubera's successor, Miloš Vystrčil, however, led a delegation to Taiwan that arrived in Taipei on August 31, 2020. While there, Vystrčil gave a speech, declaring "I am a Taiwanese," echoing John F. Kennedy's famous "I am a Berliner" speech. The People's Republic of China said that Vystrčil would "pay a heavy price" for visiting what it considers to be a "renegade province". Meanwhile, the President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman said of the trip that “I consider it boyish provocation.”[9]

In late October 2021, Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu received a medal from the President of the Czech Senate Miloš Vystrčil.[10]

In July 2022, You Si-kun, the President of the Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, led a delegation to visit the Czech Republic. He also delivered a speech at the Czech Senate, declaring "I am Taiwanese; I am Czech, because we are both believers of democracy."[11][12]

Ties appeared to deepen in 2023[13] when Czech Republic's President-elect Petr Pavel spoke with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen. In March a 150-member delegation headed by President of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová visited Taiwan.[14] In June Hsu Tzong-li, the President of Taiwan's Judicial Yuan, visited the Czech Republic and met with his counterpart Pavel Rychetsky, the President of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.[15]

In March 2024, Taiwanese vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim was invited by think tank Sinopsis to visit the Czech Republic. She stopped in Prague following a trip to the United States and met with Miloš Vystrčil.[16]

In October 2024, Former Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visited the Czech Republic and delivered a speech at the Forum 2000, during which she met with the Czech President Petr Pavel, the President of the Senate Miloš Vystrčil and the President of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová.[17]

Public health cooperation

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In March 2020, the Czech Republic and Taiwan signed an official partnership to fight COVID-19, the first such agreement signed by Taiwan.[18]

In April 2021, Taiwan's foreign ministry thanked the Czech Republic for supporting Taiwan's bid to participate in World Health Assembly. The Czech Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for Taiwan to take part in all divisions of the World Health Organization. It's the first time such a motion has progressed in a legislative chamber in the country.[19]

After the 2021 South Moravia tornado, Taiwan donated 6.5 million Czech koruna to the affected villages.[20]

In August 2021, Taiwan received 30,000 doses of Moderna vaccine donated by Czech Republic.[21]

Prague–Taipei relations

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Mayor of Prague Zdeněk Hřib and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan Joseph Wu on 1 April 2019

In August 1968, the Republic of China (Taiwan) was among the ten members of the United Nations Security Council to condemn the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia led by the Soviet Union, the latter of whom opposed the resolution.[citation needed]

In 2019, Czech Republic–Taiwan relations warmed when the Prague city council under Mayor Zdeněk Hřib voted to cancel sister city relations with Beijing due to the unwillingness of Beijing to renegotiate the inclusion of a "One-China policy" clause. While respecting the policy itself, Prague deemed inappropriate to express national policy in a sister city agreement.[22][23] On January 13, 2020, Prague and Taipei became sister cities.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Made in the EU: Foxconn in the Czech Republic
  2. ^ "Foxconn v ČR". Archived from the original on 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  3. ^ "Czech Senate speaker leaves for Taiwan visit, angering China". Reuters. 29 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b Chen, Kelvin (15 September 2024). "Taiwan-Czech semiconductor research center established". Taiwan News. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Taiwan and Czechia plan EU semiconductor cluster". Taipei Times. 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Minister back after clinching German, Czech tech pacts". Taipei Times. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Zemřel Karel Dyba. Ministrovi z Klausovy vlády bylo 83 let". IDNES.cz. 2024-07-25. Archived from the original on 2024-08-04. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  8. ^ Satter, Raphael; Carey, Nick (February 19, 2020). Gopalakrishnan, Raju; Popper, Helen (eds.). "China threatened to harm Czech companies over Taiwan visit: letter". Reuters. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  9. ^ "Czech president tries to tamp down China anger after speaker's Taiwan trip". Reuters. 2020-09-06. Archived from the original on 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  10. ^ "Taiwan's foreign minister to visit Slovakia, Czech Republic - Focus Taiwan". focustaiwan.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  11. ^ Team, Internet. "Speaker You Si-kun's led delegation to visit to the Czech Republic with Successful Result". Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Prague 駐捷克台北經濟文化辦事處. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  12. ^ "Legislative speaker You Si-kun speaks in Czech Senate - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  13. ^ Yang, William. "Taiwan: Czech Republic president-elect elevates ties". dw.com. DW. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Taiwan welcomes Czech delegation after Honduras shifts allegiance". aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  15. ^ Strong, Matthew. "Taiwan top judiciary official visits Czech Republic". taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Taiwan's vice president-elect visits Czech Republic". DW. 19 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Former President Tsai defends democracy at Forum 2000 | Taiwan News | Oct. 15, 2024 09:58". taiwannews.com.tw. 2024-10-15. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  18. ^ Hutt, David. "Taiwan sees doors open in Europe as virus response earns respect". asia.nikkei.com. Nikkei Asian Review. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Foreign Ministry thanks Czech Republic for support". RTI Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  20. ^ "Tchaj-wan daroval moravských obcím poničeným tornádem 6,5 milionu korun - Seznam Zprávy". Seznam Zprávy. Archived from the original on 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  21. ^ "Taiwan receives 30,000 Moderna doses donated by Czech Republic - Focus Taiwan". focustaiwan.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  22. ^ Prague vs. Beijing: Estranged Sister Cities Archived 2020-02-29 at the Wayback Machine. The Diplomat. Manuel Eckert and Richard Q. Turcsányi. October 08, 2019.
  23. ^ Prague city council moves to axe partnership with Beijing Archived 2019-12-11 at the Wayback Machine. Reuters. OCTOBER 7, 2019.
  24. ^ Taipei's Sister Cities "'Taipei's Sister Cities'". Retrieved 2024-01-14..
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