PRAGUE, May 31 – Beijing has sharply denounced a visit to Taiwan by Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil this week, declaring on Sunday that the journey ignored his country’s official government stance and meddled in China’s domestic matters.
Vystrcil, who represents the opposition centre-right ODS party, is heading a business delegation during the Taiwan visit. His itinerary includes meetings with President Lai Ching-te and other government officials and business leaders – a move that has angered China.
“The Chinese side urges the Czech side to strictly abide by the one-China principle, immediately take effective measures to eliminate the adverse consequences of this wrongdoing, and safeguard the overall framework for the development of China-Czech relations through its concrete actions,” the Chinese embassy in Prague said on its website.
Beijing has consistently opposed connections between Prague and Taipei. China maintains that the island lacks authority for diplomatic relationships between nations, a position that Taiwan’s government firmly disputes.
While the Czech Republic officially recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei like most nations worldwide, Prague has strengthened ties with Taiwan in recent years. The island nation serves as a major player in semiconductor manufacturing and has increased its investments in the Czech Republic. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung traveled to Prague in early May and participated in a city forum.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, whose ANO party heads a coalition with right-wing and far-right parties, has opposed the trip and declined to provide Vystrcil with government aircraft for the journey.
