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
Iranian drones hit Azerbaijan airport
- Azerbaijan on Thursday summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in drone hits on an airport and near a school
DUBAI: Azerbaijan on Thursday summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in drone hits on an airport and near a school.
The attacks around midday involved at least two drones that crossed from Iran into Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhichevan, which borders Iran and is separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenia, said a foreign ministry statement.
“One drone fell on the terminal building of Nakhichevan Airport, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shekerabad,” the ministry said, damaging the airport and wounding two civilians.
The ministry said it had summoned Iranian envoy in Baku to express “strong protest” over the attack, which “contradicts the norms and principles of international law and contributes to rising tensions in the region.
“Azerbaijan reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory measures,” it added.
Iran has long expressed concern that Israel — a close ally of Azerbaijan and a key arms supplier — could use Azerbaijani territory to stage attacks.
Last June, Azerbaijan reassured Iran that it would not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Tehran after Israel launched a large-scale strike on Iranian targets.
Tehran has historically been wary of separatist sentiment among its ethnic Azerbaijani minority, which makes up around 10 million of Iran’s 83 million citizens.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry lodged an official protest with the Iranian embassy on Thursday after a pair of Iranian drones flew across the border into Azerbaijan and injured two people at an airport in the Nakhchivan exclave.
“This attack on the territory of Azerbaijan contradicts the norms and principles of international law and contributes to increased tensions in the region,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran clarify the matter in the shortest possible time, provide an explanation and take the necessary urgent measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.”
The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan has been summoned to the foreign ministry to receive a formal note of protest, Baku said.
The statement said Azerbaijan reserved the right to carry out “appropriate response measures” against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s ministry said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan International Airport, which is approximately 10 km (6 miles) across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
A source close to the Azerbaijani government told Reuters a fire had started as a result of the incident.
Video footage shared by the source showed black smoke rising near the airport and damage to the skylight inside the terminal building.
