President Lai meets Czech Republic-Taiwan...

On the morning of November 12, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Czech Republic-Taiwan Parliamentary Platform of the Czech Parliament Chamber of Deputies. In remarks, President Lai stated that as the first delegation from the Czech Chamber of Deputies to come to Taiwan since his inauguration this May, the visit has great significance for Taiwan-Czech relations. The president pointed to the opening of the Czech Centre Taipei, the recent exhibition games held in Taiwan with the Czech national baseball team, and direct flights between Taipei and Prague as demonstrating the results of close Taiwan-Czech cooperation. He stated that there is much room for further bilateral collaboration in such areas as semiconductors, cybersecurity, and culture, and expressed his hope of the distinguished guests gaining a deeper understanding of Taiwan and continuing to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

A translation of President Lai's remarks follows:

First, I want to offer a warm welcome to Czech Republic-Taiwan Parliamentary Platform Chairman Marek Benda and our distinguished guests from the Czech Chamber of Deputies on your visit to Taiwan. Chairman Benda has chaired the platform for over 20 years, and is a staunch friend of Taiwan in the Czech Republic. In addition to having made long-term efforts to deepen Taiwan-Czech relations, he is now visiting Taiwan for the 12th time. As the first delegation from the Czech Chamber of Deputies to come to Taiwan since my inauguration this May, the visit has great significance for Taiwan-Czech relations. I want to extend my gratitude to all of our distinguished guests for supporting Taiwan through action.

Taiwan and the Czech Republic share the values of democracy and freedom, and are also working together to face the challenges of expanding authoritarianism. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, and we are deeply inspired by the Czech Republic's history of resisting communist dictatorship and pursuit of democracy and freedom. I also want to express my sincere respect to Chairman Benda for carrying on the spirit of his father, Václav Benda, who opposed dictatorship and supported democratic Taiwan.

Over the past few years, interaction between Taiwan and the Czech Republic has become closer and closer. Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and Chamber of Deputies Speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová, for example, were undaunted by pressure from China and led delegations to Taiwan, opening up bilateral cooperation and demonstrating strong support for Taiwan to the international community.

As vice president-elect, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao visited the Czech Republic in March this year. And last month, former President Tsai Ing-wen attended the Forum 2000 Conference in the Czech Republic on invitation. These were important milestones in the development of Taiwan-Czech relations, laying a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation. In the future, whether in semiconductors, cybersecurity, culture, or other areas, there is much room for further collaboration.

In June this year, I was delighted to see the opening of the Czech Centre Taipei. At the beginning of this month, I also met and talked with the Czech national baseball team here at the Presidential Office, and the two exhibition games between the Taiwan and Czech baseball teams attracted over 35,000 spectators. And for this trip, our distinguished guests even boarded a direct flight from Prague to Taipei. These advances are all the result of close Taiwan-Czech cooperation.

Once again, I would like to thank our distinguished guests for visiting to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan and continue to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Next year, the Czech Republic will conduct elections for the Chamber of Deputies, so I want to take this opportunity to convey best wishes for your successful re-election, and wish you all a smooth and successful trip.

Chairman Benda then delivered remarks, first stating that he is honored to have this opportunity to visit Taiwan and meet with President Lai. He said that his first visit to Taiwan was in 1995, and that his father, Václav Benda, had visited three years prior to that, at a time when both countries were at the beginning of their respective journeys to promote democratization and respect for human rights. Also at that time, the chairman said, Dr. Francis Fukuyama had just published the book The End of History and the Last Man, and the whole world believed that the future could only get better and better.

Chairman Benda indicated that 30 years have passed since then, and today, many intelligence agencies and political analysts warn that we are now at the most dangerous point in time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The chairman said he is glad that both our countries are able to stay on the path of democracy and that we are a part of the democratic world that respects human rights. And yet, he said, we also see the strength and power of authoritarian regimes expanding. Each of our nations has a "Big Brother" watching covertly, he said, and we fear their strength and confidence.

Chairman Benda pointed out that reciprocal visits of high-level officials and the smooth opening of direct flights between our countries help our peoples better understand each other. Furthermore, he said, next year, Taiwan's National Palace Museum and the National Museum in Prague will cooperate on a large-scale exhibition, a collaboration which he is sure will be successful. The chairman also thanked President Lai for pointing out that there is much room for Taiwan and the Czech Republic to cooperate in the semiconductor industry and other areas. He emphasized that for the Czech Republic, its people, and its businesses, it is very important that the Taiwan-Czech friendship can be translated into mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

Chairman Benda stated that he believes peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are more than just issues relating to cross-strait relations and Taiwan's security and freedom; they are issues that involve the safety of transportation routes throughout Southeast Asia. Thus, he said, they express their fundamental rejection when it comes to China's military intimidation or its continued distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. He expressed his confidence that the clear outcome of the United States election will make US-China relations even more direct and transparent.

In closing, Chairman Benda expressed his gratitude for the invitation to visit Taiwan and his wishes to President Lai for a productive term. He noted that while this means existing alongside opposition parties, the people and leaders of Taiwan have repeatedly proven that they are capable of achieving coexistence for the benefit of all.

The delegation also included the Czech Chamber of Deputies Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Co-chair Eva Decroix, Chairperson of the TOP 09 political group Jan Jakob, and Vice-chairperson of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs Jakub Michálek. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office David Steinke.