Anger as Chinese Foreign Minister Threatens Czech Senate President: Scholar Says Czechs Are “Standing up to CCP’s Hooliganism”
China’s foreign minister Huang Yi said earlier that Miloš Vystrčil, the Czech senate president who visited Taiwan, will “pay a heavy price”. Noting such rare strong responses from the Czechs as summoning the Chinese ambassador, Czech scholar Filip Jirous said China had crossed the line and the Czechs are “standing up to CCP’s hooliganism”. Whether the Czechs’ relations with China will worsen depends on what China is up to and its next step.
In an interview with a Czech media organization on 31 August, Vystrčil criticized Huang for meddling with the Czech Republic’s internal affairs and said his comments were regrettable. Vystrčil stressed that the Czech Republic is a sovereign nation committed to developing good relations other countries. In leading a delegation to Taiwan, he aimed to foster cooperation between the two democracies and create good conditions for the Czech economy to grow. Vystrčil said also that Huang’s comments reminded him of the threatening letter sent to his late predecessor Jaroslav Kubera.
Kubera was scheduled to visit Taiwan in February, only to die a sudden death before the trip. In Vystrčil’s speech at National Chengchi University on the afternoon of 31 August, he mentioned that Kubera was planning on a visit to Taiwan but was pressured to call it off by the Chinese embassy and top-level Czech officials.
The pro-Beijing Czech president Miloš Zeman is strongly opposed to Kubera’s and Vystrčil’s visits to Taiwan. Meanwhile, the Czech foreign ministry summoned the China ambassador Zhang Jianwen on 31 August to protest against China’s unusually strong comment.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep01
#Czech #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #Kubera #Zeman #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/301yKqX
China’s foreign minister Huang Yi said earlier that Miloš Vystrčil, the Czech senate president who visited Taiwan, will “pay a heavy price”. Noting such rare strong responses from the Czechs as summoning the Chinese ambassador, Czech scholar Filip Jirous said China had crossed the line and the Czechs are “standing up to CCP’s hooliganism”. Whether the Czechs’ relations with China will worsen depends on what China is up to and its next step.
In an interview with a Czech media organization on 31 August, Vystrčil criticized Huang for meddling with the Czech Republic’s internal affairs and said his comments were regrettable. Vystrčil stressed that the Czech Republic is a sovereign nation committed to developing good relations other countries. In leading a delegation to Taiwan, he aimed to foster cooperation between the two democracies and create good conditions for the Czech economy to grow. Vystrčil said also that Huang’s comments reminded him of the threatening letter sent to his late predecessor Jaroslav Kubera.
Kubera was scheduled to visit Taiwan in February, only to die a sudden death before the trip. In Vystrčil’s speech at National Chengchi University on the afternoon of 31 August, he mentioned that Kubera was planning on a visit to Taiwan but was pressured to call it off by the Chinese embassy and top-level Czech officials.
The pro-Beijing Czech president Miloš Zeman is strongly opposed to Kubera’s and Vystrčil’s visits to Taiwan. Meanwhile, the Czech foreign ministry summoned the China ambassador Zhang Jianwen on 31 August to protest against China’s unusually strong comment.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep01
#Czech #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #Kubera #Zeman #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/301yKqX
French Foreign Ministry Backs Czech Republic, Canada’s Opposition Leader Vows to Stand up to China as PM
The French government has issued a statement in support of the Czech Republic and called out on China for threatening the Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil, who had recently led a delegation to Taiwan.
Le Figaro and Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Agnes von der Muhll, spokesperson for the French foreign ministry, as saying that “Europe’s relations with China must be founded on dialogues, reciprocity and mutual respect, all of which are crucial to fostering a deeper partnership.” “With that in mind,” she continued, “any threat to an EU member state would be unacceptable. We express our support for the Czech Republic.”
Earlier, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi lambasted Vystrčil's visit to Taiwan as being “provocation” and said the Czech statesman will have to “pay a high price for his short-sightedness and political opportunism.” The Czech foreign ministry responded by saying that Wang’s comment went “too far” and summoned the Chinese ambassador to Prague for an explanation.
Meanwhile in Canada, the new leader of the Conservative Party and a contender in the next prime minister election Erin O’Toole wrote to the National Post, outlining his China policy. He said he is ready to confront China, citing his repeated demands for the Canadian government to speak up for Hong Kong and Taiwan, both of which have been targeted by the Chinese communist regime. The 47-year-old O’Toole vowed to stand up to China as prime minister.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep02
#France #Czech #Canada #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #ErinOToole #WangYi #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/2FOU8rO
The French government has issued a statement in support of the Czech Republic and called out on China for threatening the Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil, who had recently led a delegation to Taiwan.
Le Figaro and Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Agnes von der Muhll, spokesperson for the French foreign ministry, as saying that “Europe’s relations with China must be founded on dialogues, reciprocity and mutual respect, all of which are crucial to fostering a deeper partnership.” “With that in mind,” she continued, “any threat to an EU member state would be unacceptable. We express our support for the Czech Republic.”
Earlier, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi lambasted Vystrčil's visit to Taiwan as being “provocation” and said the Czech statesman will have to “pay a high price for his short-sightedness and political opportunism.” The Czech foreign ministry responded by saying that Wang’s comment went “too far” and summoned the Chinese ambassador to Prague for an explanation.
Meanwhile in Canada, the new leader of the Conservative Party and a contender in the next prime minister election Erin O’Toole wrote to the National Post, outlining his China policy. He said he is ready to confront China, citing his repeated demands for the Canadian government to speak up for Hong Kong and Taiwan, both of which have been targeted by the Chinese communist regime. The 47-year-old O’Toole vowed to stand up to China as prime minister.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep02
#France #Czech #Canada #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #ErinOToole #WangYi #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/2FOU8rO
Slovak President Backs Czech Republic, Calls China’s Threat “Unacceptable”
The Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has sparked outrage across Europe as he threatened the Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil for his visit to Taiwan. Echoing the German foreign minister and the EU’s foreign ministry, the Slovak president Zuzana Čaputová said she could not accept China’s threat. This is the first time a European head of state has criticized China for Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan.
In a Twitter post, Čaputová wrote, “Slovakia stands by the Czech Republic. EU-China relations are based on dialogue and mutual respect. Threats directed at one of the EU members and its representatives contradict the very essence of our partnership and as such are unacceptable.”
47-year-old Čaputová became Slovakia’s first female president in June 2019. Slovakia is a member of the European Union and has close ties with the Czech Republic. The two were formerly a single country, splitting peacefully into two independent states in 1993.
In an interview in Germany on 31 August, Wang said “Vystrčil must be made to pay a heavy price for his short-sightedness and political opportunism” in response to the Czech statesman’s visit to Taiwan. Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the German parliament, protested against the threat and called on the EU to be united in protecting the Czech Republic from China’s reprisals. Peter Stano, the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesman, also expressed displeasure at Wang’s language, though adding that the matter would have to be discussed bilaterally between the Czech Republic and China.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep02
#Slovakia #Czech #EU #Taiwan #China #Caputova #Vystrcil #WangYi
https://bit.ly/3mzTqzE
The Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has sparked outrage across Europe as he threatened the Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil for his visit to Taiwan. Echoing the German foreign minister and the EU’s foreign ministry, the Slovak president Zuzana Čaputová said she could not accept China’s threat. This is the first time a European head of state has criticized China for Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan.
In a Twitter post, Čaputová wrote, “Slovakia stands by the Czech Republic. EU-China relations are based on dialogue and mutual respect. Threats directed at one of the EU members and its representatives contradict the very essence of our partnership and as such are unacceptable.”
47-year-old Čaputová became Slovakia’s first female president in June 2019. Slovakia is a member of the European Union and has close ties with the Czech Republic. The two were formerly a single country, splitting peacefully into two independent states in 1993.
In an interview in Germany on 31 August, Wang said “Vystrčil must be made to pay a heavy price for his short-sightedness and political opportunism” in response to the Czech statesman’s visit to Taiwan. Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the German parliament, protested against the threat and called on the EU to be united in protecting the Czech Republic from China’s reprisals. Peter Stano, the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesman, also expressed displeasure at Wang’s language, though adding that the matter would have to be discussed bilaterally between the Czech Republic and China.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep02
#Slovakia #Czech #EU #Taiwan #China #Caputova #Vystrcil #WangYi
https://bit.ly/3mzTqzE
Pro-China Czech President Calls Senate Head’s Visit to Taiwan “Naïve Provocation”
The Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil has faced criticism for visiting Taiwan, where he declared “I am Taiwanese,” upon his return. During a TV debate, the Czech president Miloš Zeman slammed Vystrčil for engaging in “naïve provocation.” Vystrčil responded by saying that the Czechs must uphold freedom and democracy and not rely on any undemocratic country if they wish to be prosperous.
The three highest-ranking officials under the Czech constitution—president Miloš Zeman, prime minister Andrej Babiš, and senate president Miloš Vystrčil—showed up in Party, a political debate programme produced by the Czech TV channel Prima and CNN Prima NEWS, on 7 September. Zeman spoke first, followed by Babiš and Vystrčil, who had a vigorous debate.
Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan did not have the support of the Czech government, which is responsible for formulating the country’s foreign policies. Zeman stated that he would not invite Vystrčil to top-level foreign policy meetings. He slammed the visit as being “naïve provocation” and detrimental to Czech enterprises. Since Zeman was elected as president in 2013, he has been looking to strengthen economic and political ties with China. With the investment plan stalling, however, Czech politicians are divided on working with China.
Responding to Zeman, Vystrčil said the government had never discussed or voted on whether he should visit Taiwan. The senate president added that had never claimed that Taiwan was an independent country during his visit. He emphasized that the visit had been conceived by his late predecessor Jaroslav Kubera. Babiš said he was opposed to the visit and had never suggested Kubera to do that. Even the late president Václav Havel, who had been most friendly with Taiwan, had never set foot there, said Babiš. The prime minister said Havel had always respected the ‘One China’ policy and criticized Vystrčil for his complete lack of understanding of how things work in the world outside. Babiš also questioned Vystrčil’s point that the visit was his way of making a stand. Out of the 193 UN members, he said, only 15 recognized Taiwan. “Are the rest of them kowtowing to China?” he retorted.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep07
#Czech #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #Zeman #Babis #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/2HmSXRz
The Czech senate president Miloš Vystrčil has faced criticism for visiting Taiwan, where he declared “I am Taiwanese,” upon his return. During a TV debate, the Czech president Miloš Zeman slammed Vystrčil for engaging in “naïve provocation.” Vystrčil responded by saying that the Czechs must uphold freedom and democracy and not rely on any undemocratic country if they wish to be prosperous.
The three highest-ranking officials under the Czech constitution—president Miloš Zeman, prime minister Andrej Babiš, and senate president Miloš Vystrčil—showed up in Party, a political debate programme produced by the Czech TV channel Prima and CNN Prima NEWS, on 7 September. Zeman spoke first, followed by Babiš and Vystrčil, who had a vigorous debate.
Vystrčil’s visit to Taiwan did not have the support of the Czech government, which is responsible for formulating the country’s foreign policies. Zeman stated that he would not invite Vystrčil to top-level foreign policy meetings. He slammed the visit as being “naïve provocation” and detrimental to Czech enterprises. Since Zeman was elected as president in 2013, he has been looking to strengthen economic and political ties with China. With the investment plan stalling, however, Czech politicians are divided on working with China.
Responding to Zeman, Vystrčil said the government had never discussed or voted on whether he should visit Taiwan. The senate president added that had never claimed that Taiwan was an independent country during his visit. He emphasized that the visit had been conceived by his late predecessor Jaroslav Kubera. Babiš said he was opposed to the visit and had never suggested Kubera to do that. Even the late president Václav Havel, who had been most friendly with Taiwan, had never set foot there, said Babiš. The prime minister said Havel had always respected the ‘One China’ policy and criticized Vystrčil for his complete lack of understanding of how things work in the world outside. Babiš also questioned Vystrčil’s point that the visit was his way of making a stand. Out of the 193 UN members, he said, only 15 recognized Taiwan. “Are the rest of them kowtowing to China?” he retorted.
Source: Apple Daily #Sep07
#Czech #Taiwan #China #Vystrcil #Zeman #Babis #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/2HmSXRz