《TAIPEI TIMES》 Czech committee calls for Taiwan’s global inclusion

STRONG PARTNERSHIP: ‘Stability in the Taiwan Strait is a prerequisite for global security,’ Czech lawmakers said, calling on their government to bolster ties with Taiwan

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

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The Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee has passed resolutions to support Taiwan’s international participation, and bolster ties and cooperation with Taiwan.

A resolution passed on Thursday calls on the Czech government to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

“Taiwan has valuable expertise and experience in areas such as public health, environmental management and climate change mitigation,” it said.

The inclusion of Taiwan would “be of considerable benefit” to organizations such as the WHO, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Criminal Police Organization, it said.

“Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political, but a pragmatic issue,” while excluding Taiwan would undermine the efforts of the UN and its affiliated bodies, it said.

The Czech Republic and Taiwan have been working together to address global issues such as climate change, sustainable development, organized crime, cybersecurity and civil aviation security, it said.

Exchanges between the two sides continue to deepen through direct flights, trade and investment, high-tech development, education and science, culture and tourism, the resolution said.

“The Czech Republic considers Taiwan one of its key partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” it said, adding that “stability in the Taiwan Strait is a prerequisite for global security and prosperity.”

A separate resolution passed by the committee on the same day mentioned the Central European country’s support for Taiwan, and condemned Beijing’s human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet, along with discrimination against Uighurs and other minorities.

The updated Program Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic published in March affirmed the country’s commitment to “deepen relations with democratic partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.”

The Czech government should support “the building of friendly relations with Taiwan,” as the two nations share values of protecting freedom, human rights and the rule of law, as well as a common interest in developing trade and economic relations, the resolution said.

The committee “unequivocally rejects any unilateral change of the political status quo in the Taiwan Strait, while at the same time condemning the use of force or the threat of force to achieve such change, which is contrary to international law,” it added.

The escalation of cross-strait tensions should be halted to ensure the security of international maritime trade routes, it said.

Taiwan shares with the Czech Republic the values of freedom, democracy and human rights, and “is a close economic and strategic partner,” committee chairman Marek Zenisek wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

The resolutions came after Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu （吳釗燮） visited Prague earlier this month, when he met with Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil and attended an event with Czech President Petr Pavel.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES