Czech Senate President Invites Han Kuo-yu to Visit: Visiting Taiwan is 'No Problem at All'

Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil led a delegation to Taiwan, drawing criticism from the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic. In an interview, Vystrčil stated that visiting Taiwan's Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu is 'no problem at all,' adding that while some countries promote a 'One China' policy, 'we do not necessarily have to follow it.' He also invited Han to visit the Czech Republic. Han expressed his gratitude to Vystrčil and the Czech lawmakers for any diplomatic inconvenience caused, stating that the Republic of China has existed strongly in the world for 115 years and will continue to do so. This is Vystrčil's second visit to Taiwan, the first being in late August 2020. The delegation of about 40 people is visiting from the 1st to the 4th. After arriving this morning, they visited the Legislative Yuan at noon, where Han hosted a banquet attended by members of various political parties. Han thanked the Czech Republic for its consistent support of the Republic of China's participation in international affairs, noting that starting August 1, flights between Taipei and Prague will double, reflecting increasingly close economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges. Han pointed out that the Republic of China's international situation is very difficult, making parliamentary diplomacy crucial. He urged all legislators to strive to find more space for diplomacy. Vystrčil stated that before departing, he confirmed support in the Czech Senate for visiting Taiwan, with the majority of senators wishing to continue cooperation with the Legislative Yuan. He emphasized that Taiwan and the Czech Republic are free and democratic nations that do not need to listen to orders from others, and that their cooperation is based on mutual benefit. Regarding questions about Beijing's 'One China' framework, Vystrčil reiterated that 'there is absolutely no problem for the Czech Senate President to visit the Taiwan Legislative Yuan President.' Han stated that based on the Constitution of the Republic of China, the nation is determined to continue its strong existence in the world and welcomes friends from all over the world to visit Taiwan. Regarding reports that Han refused to meet with the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) during his visit to the UK, Han replied that all his scheduled activities were carried out as planned and nothing was missed.