Czech officials threatened by China over ties with Taiwan

The official visit of Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu to Czechia at the Czech Senate’s invitation has triggered an angry reaction from China. The National People’s Congress (NPC) – the highest organ of State power in China – condemned Czech officials for “serious violation of one-China policy” and “offering a platform for Taiwan independence separatist activities”.

“The despicable manoeuvres by a few individuals in the Czech Republic are doomed to fail. We urge them to promptly change course, otherwise, they will end up swallowing the bitter fruit themselves,” wrote the NPC in its official statement.

“We urge relevant Czech institutions and individuals to abide by the one-China principle, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and take concrete actions to safeguard China-Czech relations,” NPC said.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu met with the Czech Senate speaker Miloš Vystrčil and Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib last week during his tour around Europe. Both politicians are vocal supporters of Taiwan’s right to independence. “It is our duty to advance our opinions, our concept of freedom, our will, our approach to democracy and the rule of law,” said Vystrčil after the meeting with Wu.

Last year, a Czech business delegation led by Vystrčil travelled to Taiwan, prompting a critical reaction from Beijing.

Czech and Taiwanese representatives have already concluded new memoranda on mutual cooperation, for example, in cyber security or the aerospace industry. Taiwanese delegations have been visiting Czechia regularly since 2016 despite Chinese criticism.

(Aneta Zachová | EURACTIV.cz)