TAIPEI, Taiwan: The president of the Czech Republic’s senate on Monday told an economic forum in Taiwan that freedom and democracy are the basis of prosperity, while the two sides signed agreements on high-tech manufacturing and environmental management despite strong criticism from China over the visit.
Milos Vystrcil is leading a delegation of 89 leaders from the Central European country’s political, business, artistic and academic circles on a trip aimed at boosting contacts.
Taiwan relies on such exchanges to counter China’s efforts to isolate the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own territory to be annexed by military force if it deems necessary. Like all but 15 countries, the Czech Republic has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but maintains robust informal contacts.
China last week denounced Vystrcil’s visit as undermining the political foundation of relations between Prague and Beijing but has not so far indicated how it will retaliate.
Vystrcil spoke at an economic forum where the sides signed agreements on high-tech manufacturing and environmental management.
“I believe that without the possibility of free cooperation between entrepreneurs and employers, there will be no freedoms and democracy in the Czech Republic or Taiwan, because freedom and democracy are the basis of prosperity,” Vystrcil told participants.
Taiwan Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua said the delegation’s visit was bringing real economic benefits to the two sides.
In addition, Wang said the visit stood as “proof to the world that no matter how big the pressure is, how difficult the situation is, nothing can stop Taiwan and the Czech Republic’s determination to defend freedom, democracy and protect human rights.”
Taiwan’s high-tech companies are major investors in the Czech Republic, while the country’s robust democracy marks a stark contrast to China’s authoritarian Communist Party system.
During his visit, Vystrcil is due to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who is detested by Beijing for her assertions of the island’s independence.
Vystrcil’s six-day visit to Taiwan was prompted in part by complaints from the Czech side that China was introducing unwanted political elements into their relations.
Prague and Beijing severed sister city relations after China refused to remove language from the agreement dictating that the city’s government endorse the “one-China principle” that defines Taiwan as part of China.
Vystrcil’s predecessor, Jaroslav Kubera, had planned to travel to Taiwan, angering pro-China Czech President Milos Zeman.
Kubera died in January before making the trip and Vystrcil said China’s pressure, including a warning from the Chinese Embassy against congratulating Tsai on her reelection, contributed to his decision to travel to the island.
Czech delegation visits Taiwan despite Chinese criticism
Czech delegation visits Taiwan despite Chinese criticism
- Taiwan Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua said the delegation’s visit was bringing real economic benefits to the two sides
Brazil’s Lula urges Trump to treat all countries equally
NEW DELHI: Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged Donald Trump on Sunday to treat all countries equally after the US leader imposed a 15 percent tariff on imports following an adverse Supreme Court ruling.
“I want to tell the US President Donald Trump that we don’t want a new Cold War. We don’t want interference in any other country, we want all countries to be treated equally,” Lula told reporters in New Delhi.
The conservative-majority Supreme Court ruled six to three on Friday that a 1977 law Trump has relied on to slap sudden levies on individual countries, upending global trade, “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”
Lula said he would not like to react to the Supreme Court decisions of another country, but hoped that Brazil’s relations with the United States “will go back to normalcy” soon.
The veteran leftist leader is expected to travel to Washington next month for a meeting with Trump.
“I am convinced that Brazil-US relation will go back to normalcy after our conversation,” Lula, 80, said, adding that Brazil only wanted to “live in peace, generate jobs, and improve the lives of our people.”
Lula and Trump, 79, stand on polar opposite sides when it comes to issues such as multilateralism, international trade and the fight against climate change.
However, ties between Brazil and the United States appear to be on the mend after months of animosity between Washington and Brasilia.
As a result, Trump’s administration has exempted key Brazilian exports from 40 percent tariffs that had been imposed on the South American country last year.
‘Affinity’
“The world doesn’t need more turbulence, it needs peace,” said Lula, who arrived in India on Wednesday for a summit on artificial intelligence and a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ties between Washington and Brasilia soured in recent months, with Trump angered over the trial and conviction of his ally, the far-right former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump imposed sanctions against several top officials, including a Supreme Court judge, to punish Brazil for what he termed a “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in a botched coup bid after his 2022 election loss to Lula.
Lula said that, as the two largest democracies in the Americas, he looked forward to a positive relationship with the United States.
“We are two men of 80 years of age, so we cannot play around with democracy,” he said.
“We have to take this very seriously. We have to shake hands eye-to-eye, person-to-person, and to discuss what is best for the US and Brazil.”
Lula also praised Modi after India and Brazil agreed to boost cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths and signed a raft of other deals on Saturday.
“I have a lot of affinity with Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
Lula will travel to South Korea later on Sunday for meetings with President Lee Jae Myung and to attend a business forum.
