The Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies’ Taiwan Friendship Group, Marek Benda, led a bipartisan delegation to meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te today. Benda expressed concerns about the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing their rejection of military threats from the Chinese Communist Party and the distortion of UN Resolution 2758.
President Lai welcomed the visit of the “Czech Chamber of Deputies Taiwan Friendship Group” and highlighted the significance of the delegation’s visit in enhancing Taiwan-Czech relations. The establishment of the Taipei Czech Center, Taiwan-Czech baseball exchanges, and the Taipei-Prague direct flight are all results of the close cooperation between the two countries. There are great opportunities for cooperation between Taiwan and Czech in industries such as semiconductors, cybersecurity, and culture, and President Lai hopes that the delegation can further understand Taiwan and explore more cooperation opportunities.
In his speech, Chairman Benda expressed his honor to visit Taiwan and meet with President Lai. He recalled his first visit to Taiwan in 1995 and emphasized the importance of both countries continuing on the path of democracy and respect for human rights. Benda highlighted the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for the security of Southeast Asian transportation routes, affirming their rejection of military threats from China and the distortion of UN Resolution 2758.
Benda also mentioned upcoming collaborations between the National Palace Museum in Taipei and the National Museum in Prague and expressed confidence in the success of these partnerships. He thanked President Lai for recognizing the substantial cooperation opportunities between Czech and Taiwan in industries like semiconductors, emphasizing the importance of mutual economic cooperation for the people and businesses of both countries.
Chairman Benda believed that the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are not only crucial for Taiwan’s relationship with China but also for the entire security of transportation routes in Southeast Asia. He expressed confidence that the clear results of the US elections will lead to a clearer understanding of US-China relations.
Lastly, Benda thanked for the invitation to visit Taiwan and wished President Lai a successful term. He acknowledged the coexistence with the opposition, noting Taiwan’s capability to act in the interest of all its people.
President Lai warmly welcomed Chairman Marek Benda and the Czech Chamber of Deputies delegation to Taiwan. Benda, who has been serving as the chairman of the Taiwan Friendship Group for over twenty years, is considered a steadfast friend of Taiwan in Czech, deeply contributing to the deepening of Taiwan-Czech relations. He also praised the courage of Czech officials such as Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and Chamber of Deputies President Markéta Pekarová Adamová for their support of Taiwan despite pressure from China.
President Lai highlighted the shared values of democracy and freedom between Taiwan and Czech, noting their common challenge of authoritarian expansion. He commended Czech’s history of resisting communist dictatorship and striving for democracy and freedom as an inspiration to Taiwan. He expressed deep respect for Benda in carrying on the spirit of his father, Vaclav Benda, in opposing dictatorship and supporting democratic Taiwan.
President Lai mentioned the increasing interactions between Taiwan and Czech in recent years. Visits by Czech officials like Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and Chamber of Deputies President Markéta Pekarová Adamová defy pressure from China, demonstrating strong support for Taiwan on the international stage.
President Lai was pleased with the establishment of the Taiwan-Czech Center in Taipei in June and the recent meeting with the Czech national baseball team at the Presidential Office. The Taiwan-Czech baseball exchanges attracted over 35,000 attendees, showcasing the fruitful cooperation between the two countries.
President Lai thanked the delegation for their visit, hoping that they can gain a better understanding of Taiwan and continue to explore cooperation opportunities. He wished the Czech parliament members success in the upcoming elections and hoped for a fruitful and smooth visit.
The delegation members also included Eva Decroix, Co-Chair of the “Transnational Parliament Alliance for China Policy” in the Czech Chamber of Deputies, Jan Jakob from the TOP09 party, and Jakub Michálek, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Constitution and Legal Affairs. They were accompanied by Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, and the representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office, David Steinke, during their visit to the Presidential Office, where Secretary-General Pan Meng-an was also present.