China vows to make the Czech Senate President “Pay”
The recent visit to Taiwan by the 90 members Czech delegation led by the Senate President Milos Vystrcil, the highest-ranking official of the Czech Republic to ever visit the island, has drawn severe backlash from the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. The Minister warned that the top Czech lawmaker will have to “pay a heavy price”, for visiting Taipei. He went on to add that, “the trip was a “betrayal” that made him an enemy of 1.4 billion Chinese people.” The delegation also includes Prague Mayor, Zdenek Hrib, a Beijing critic who in January made Taipei, a sister city to Prague.
The visit comes in the backdrop of the recent tensions in Europe, with the reports of United States fuelling Anti-China sentiments in the region. “China will not sit idle and tolerate the Czech Senate leader’s provocation and the Anti-China forces behind them” Wang added.
“Both Taiwan and the Czech Republic had to struggle to find a path to democracy, and I believe that the other representatives from Europe will realize their delays too, the representatives of the European Union—and that they will also visit Taiwan,” Vystrcil said in a speech at the National Chengchi University in Taipei. He also later added that he wishes to deepen the trade relations between the two sides. However, he refrained from commenting on Wang’s remarks.
The “One China Principle”, which is well recognized by the international community including the United Nations and European Union, is a prerequisite and political basis for the maintenance of friendly diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China. China is also categorically against any form of official ties between Taiwan and countries with diplomatic relations with China. Some Chinese experts claim that since the move was instigated by the United States, it will only harm the Czech-China relations and the Czech’s interests, and predicts possible retaliation from China’s side against anyone who dares to meddle with China’s Sovereignty. Thus, given the backdrop, it will be interesting to watch how the Czech-China diplomatic relations will sail through this turmoil.
The author graduated in Economics and Political science and is currently pursuing her Master's in East Asian Studies from University of Delhi. She is quite keen in understanding diverse foreign policies and societies and their impact on Global Geopolitics.
