28th March 2023 – (Taipei) The speaker of the Czech Republic’s lower chamber of parliament, Marketa Pekarova Adamova, affirmed her country’s solidarity with Taiwan’s people and their shared commitment to freedom and democracy during her visit to Taiwan on Tuesday. Speaking before Taiwan’s parliament, Pekarova Adamova pledged her support for Taiwan under any circumstances and praised the island’s efforts to promote democracy in the region.
Taiwan has sought to strengthen its ties with other democratic nations in the face of increased pressure from China to accept its sovereignty. As a fellow democracy with a shared history of authoritarianism, Taiwan has found a receptive audience in central and eastern Europe, where countries like the Czech Republic have sought to foster closer relations. Pekarova Adamova’s visit comes on the heels of a similar trip by Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil in 2020, and underscores the growing support for Taiwan’s democracy in the region.
Despite not having diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Pekarova Adamova’s visit with a delegation of mostly businesspeople has drawn ire from China, which routinely objects to official visits to the island. The Czech Republic’s newly elected president, Petr Pavel, also drew criticism from Beijing in January after taking a call from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen. However, the Czech Republic’s leaders have been vocal in their support for Taiwan’s democracy and have sought to distance themselves from their predecessors’ attempts to win Chinese business.
Taiwan’s democratically elected government has long rejected China’s claims of sovereignty over the island, arguing that only Taiwan’s people have the right to decide their future. Despite China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and economically, the island has continued to forge ties with other nations, including the United States and Japan, in order to defend its sovereignty and promote democracy in the region. Pekarova Adamova’s visit is the latest example of Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its relationships with fellow democracies in the face of growing pressure from Beijing.
In her remarks before Taiwan’s parliament, Pekarova Adamova emphasized the importance of defending democracy in the face of authoritarianism, and pledged her country’s support for Taiwan’s efforts to promote freedom and democracy in the region. “Developing freedom and democracy is our responsibility,” she said, “and we will continue to stand with you under any circumstances.” Her words were met with applause from lawmakers and the public alike, underscoring the strong bond between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in their shared commitment to democracy.