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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 You gears up for Czech official’s visit
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu wears a mask made in Taiwan with the national flags of Taiwan and the Czech Republic printed on it. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
By Huang Hsin-po and Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporters
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun （游錫堃）, who has invited Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil to address the Legislative Yuan during his visit to Taiwan, yesterday said he would convene cross-caucus negotiations to encourage lawmakers of all parties to attend.
You said on the sidelines of an event in Changhua County that he has invited Vystrcil to give a speech before lawmakers in the legislative chamber, and expects him to visit the Legislative Yuan on Sept. 1.
At You’s invitation, a Czech delegation is to visit Taiwan from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, while Vystrcil on Tuesday said that the delegation would comprise nearly 90 members, most of them business representatives.
To encourage lawmakers of different parties to attend the speech, You added that he would soon convene a meeting of opposition caucuses.
You said that he admired the Czech delegation for visiting Taiwan despite pressure from Beijing.
While there is a tug-of-war between pursuing democratic ideals and economic benefits, the visit planned by the delegation shows that they place more emphasis on ideals, he said.
Taiwan should demonstrate its hospitality and make the visitors feel at home, he said, adding that the Legislative Yuan would enforce disease prevention measures and practice proper international etiquette when receiving the delegation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu （吳釗燮） was on Friday interviewed by Czech Television, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Taiwan and the Czech Republic maintain close trade ties and the European nation is the fourth-largest destination in the eurozone for Taiwanese investment, Wu said in the interview.
Taiwanese machine tools as well as information and communications technology are potential areas of collaboration, he said, adding that he expects bilateral trade to expand after the delegation’s visit.
Asked about the significance of US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar’s visit last week, Wu said that Azar was the highest-level US official to visit Taiwan in 41 years and that his visit shows closer Taiwan-US ties.
Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a speech at the Czech Senate, he said, adding that Taiwan, the Czech Republic and the US share the core values of democracy and freedom.
Taiwan is glad to see like-minded countries continue to deepen relations, he said.
Asked about cross-strait relations, Wu said that Taiwan is a sovereign nation with its own presidential elections, legislature, diplomatic relations and defense systems, as well as freedom of the press, but China continues to use its military to threaten Taiwan.
Taiwan, on the front line of Chinese authoritarianism, would continue to defend itself and curb the spread of authoritarianism, Wu said, adding that he believes the international community would continue to lend support to Taiwan.
At the end of the interview, Wu showed a mask made for the Czech visitors that bears the national flags of Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
It represents how COVID-19 has not affected the friendship between the two nations and that Taiwan takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard the delegation members from the virus during their visit, the ministry said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, wearing sunglasses due to recent cataract surgery, speaks at an event in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Huang Hsin-po, Taipei Times
