Maroc - TAIWANTODAY.TW - Top News - 01/Nov 00:00

President Lai receives Czech parliamentary delegation

President Lai Ching-te said Nov. 12 that Taiwan is committed to furthering bilateral collaboration with Czechia in areas spanning culture, cyber security and semiconductors.   Lai made the remarks while greeting a delegation from the Chamber of Deputies’ Czech Republic-Taiwan Parliamentary Platform led by its chair Marek Benda at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.   Taiwan and Czechia both value freedom and democracy, which motivates them to face the challenges of authoritarian expansion together, Lai said. The two sides enjoy a growing relationship, he added, citing visits by Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and COD Speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová in recent years.   The strength of the countries’ bilateral ties are also evident in Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s trip to Czechia earlier this year, and former President Tsai Ing-wen’s attendance at the Forum 2000 Conference last month, Lai said, adding that the opening of the Czech Centre Taipei in June, baseball exhibition games between national teams earlier this month and the launch of Taipei-Prague direct flights last year further demonstrate the close bilateral cooperation.   The president concluded by encouraging delegation members in their efforts to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan and explore opportunities for bilateral collaboration during their stay.   Benda expressed similar sentiments in his response and added that Taiwan’s National Palace Museum and the National Museum in Prague have arranged to work together on a large-scale exhibition next year. He agreed with Lai on the importance of boosting exchanges in the semiconductor industry and expressed his hope to advance mutually beneficial economic collaboration.   The chair went on to say that cross-strait peace and stability is critical to ensuring the safety of transportation routes throughout Southeast Asia, adding that he and other delegation members fundamentally reject China’s military intimidation and its continued distortion of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758. (YCH-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw