In remarks at the Legislative Yuan, Czech Republic Senate President Miloš Vystrčil pays tribute to Taiwan, saying in Chinese, “I am a Taiwanese”
Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun:
Taiwan and the Czech Republic share common ground in
creating a future together without fear of stronger powers
The President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil, who is second only to the nation’s President in the Czech order of precedence, visited Taiwan for the first time accompanied by his wife and a 35-member delegation. Today, they visited the Legislative Yuan. Senate President Vystrčil is the first sitting speaker from a foreign country to have entered Taiwan‘s parliamentary chamber in 45 years and the first sitting speaker from a nation that does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun awarded Senate President Vystrčil with a first-class Medal of Honor for Parliamentary Diplomacy, expressing an expectation that both sides would continue with exchange visits to deepen the democratic alliance. President You greeted the Czech delegation at the main entrance of the Legislative Yuan early in the morning, accompanied by Vice President Tsai Chi-chang; Ms. Wan Mei-ling, Chairwoman of the Republic of China and the Czech Republic Parliamentary Friendship Association; Secretary General Lin Jih-jia; and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu. In addition to Senate President Vystrčil and his wife, the delegation included Senate Vice President Jiří Růžička; Senate Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security Committee Chairman Pavel Fischer; Health and Social Policy Committee Chairman Lumír Kantor; National Economy, Agriculture, and Transport Committee Vice Chairman Lumír Aschenbrenner; Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Tomaš Golaň; Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights, and Petitions Committee Deputy Chairman Pavel Štohl; Senator Petr Šilar, National Assembly Secretary General Jana Vohralíková, Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hrib, Second Research and Development Area (Life and Chemical Sciences) of the Czech Academy of Sciences Deputy Director Zdeněk Havlas, and about 35 representatives of various fields and staff members.
President You pointed out that in the face of the Chinese Communist Party‘s wolf-warrior diplomacy, coercion, and threats, Senate President Vystrčil had chosen instead to defend the sovereignty and dignity of his country in boldly leading a delegation to Taiwan. This realized the last wishes of former Czech Senate President Jaroslav Kubera and the spirit of the Czech Republic, imbued memorably in the Defenestration of Prague of 1618, the Prague Spring of 1968, and the Velvet Revolution of 1989. President You also thanked the President for his support of Taiwan, especially his touching public statement, “Taiwan is a de facto independent free country.” President You also mentioned that in the 17th century, Taiwan and the Czech Republic, then known as Bohemia, were both ruled directly or indirectly by the Habsburgs. This, he said, was a rare historical connection between the two countries, although not necessarily a happy memory.
Afterwards, in the presence of legislators and guests, President You presented a Medal of Honor of Parliamentary Diplomacy, a cordon, and a souvenir to Senate President Vystrčil in recognition of his contributions to parliamentary diplomacy between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. Senate President Vystrčil then delivered an address at the Legislative Yuan. He first thanked President You for having invited him to Taiwan. He took the opportunity to introduce the members of his delegation and thanked his colleagues in the Senate, the most liberal and democratic institution in the Czech Republic, for giving his visit to Taiwan a 96 percent approval rate. President Vystrčil then delivered a speech in Czech on the topic, “Solidarity among democracies and protection of common values.” He argued that although the Czech Republic has an upper and a lower house, making it different to Taiwan, different countries have different democratic systems because of their unique histories, personalities, customs, traditions, and advantages. He also emphasized the need for laws to designate a framework that aims to protect people rather than restrict or dictate what they should think or do, and to ensure that basic rights and security are not violated.
Senate President Vystrčil said that good laws are difficult to make and require experience and hard work. Each country has its own way of operating, but the most important thing is the underlying democratic principles. Defending democratic principles is thus in the spirit of democracy and freedom. As a representative of parliamentary diplomacy, he said he looked forward to the continued support and cooperation between Taiwan and Czech Republic. At the end of his speech, Senate President Vystrčil quoted US President John F. Kennedy‘s 1963 speech in West Berlin, in which he said, “Ich bin ein Berliner” saying in Mandarin, “I am a Taiwanese.” He was applauded for this tribute to all the people of Taiwan who support the principles of freedom and democracy.
To welcome the delegation, the Legislative Yuan set up a special exhibition of the Czech Republic in its Cultural Corridor, honoring Czech democracy, parliamentary government, customs and folklore, and arts and humanities, as well as the history of parliamentary diplomacy between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. This was a way of introducing the Czech spirit of freedom and democracy to Taiwan’s public. Moreover, in memory of former Czech Senate President Kubera’s efforts to create friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic and his courage in defending democratic values, the Legislative Yuan also set up a wall of democratic friendship, honoring the 1989 Velvet Revolution in 1989 and 1990 Wild Lily Movement in 1990, in which freedom and democracy were defended on opposite sides of the world in nonviolent, bloodless, and peaceful means. President You invited President Vystrčil to sign the memorial, turning a new page in the history of Taiwan-Czech parliamentary diplomacy.
After signing the memorial, President You and President Vystrčil were interviewed by the Taiwan and Czech media. President You said that despite the Chinese Communist Party‘s coercion and inducements, President Vystrčil defied it all to visit Taiwan, not only to fulfill the last wishes of former Speaker Jaroslav Kubera, but also to underscore the existence of Taiwan to the international community, to defend Czech sovereignty, and to show support for freedom and democracy. President You also highlighted that the Czech Republic is a country that has always resisted changes initiated by great powers, and that he expects more European countries and politicians to visit Taiwan after the Czech visit.
In remarks to the media, Senate President Vystrčil reiterated that his goal in visiting Taiwan was to seek opportunities for cooperation in the areas of the economy, innovation, research, and development. He sought to underscore the sovereignty and independence of the Czech Republic, which should not be undermined by non-democratic countries. Another goal was, he said, to pursue a friendlier relationship with Taiwan, with which his nation shares democratic values. The Czech Republic has its own way of understanding the “one-China principle,” he continued, and hopes to increase cooperation with Taiwan in science and technology, the economy, and trade through mutual visits. He also hopes that there will be more concrete cooperation and exchanges between the Czech and Taiwanese parliaments, and that they will work together to promote the spirit of freedom and democracy embodied by former President Václav Havel.
After the visit, President You hosted a luncheon in honor of the delegation, which then traveled to Yilan to experience the local culture of Taiwan.
