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The mayors of Prague and Taipei introduced new areas of cooperation for the 2 sister cities, together with orchestra excursions, on Friday as a Czech delegation concluded a weeklong visit to Taiwan that was bitterly criticised by China.
Taipei additionally donated 100,800 face masks and can share its experiences in controlling the coronavirus, Mayor Ko Wen-je stated.
The head of the 80-plus member delegation, Czech Senate chief Milos Vystrcil, is the highest-ranking Czech official to visit the democratically dominated island since 1989, in keeping with Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
Since the delegation’s arrival on Sunday, it has met with Taiwanese counterparts to develop cooperation in a variety of areas together with commerce, cybersecurity and the coronavirus pandemic. Vystrcil additionally met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Wu stated Taiwan is wanting into beginning direct flights between Taipei and Prague utilizing its flagship airline, China Airlines.
Vystrcil has confronted sturdy anger from China, which issued a number of warnings over the week concerning the visit, as properly as criticism from the pro-China Czech president.
China considers Taiwan to be half of its territory and objects to any official contacts between different international locations and the island.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Monday that China will “definitely make them pay a heavy price” for the visit, which Beijing sees as assist for Taiwanese independence.
Throughout the visit, Vystrcil and others have emphasised the shared democratic values of Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Relations have soured between half of the Czech authorities and China previously yr.
Prague canceled a sister cities settlement with Beijing final yr after the Chinese aspect insisted on including a clause to the deal stating that Prague helps the “one-China principle,” which says Taiwan is an element of China.
In response to Prague’s resolution to signal a new sister cities’ settlement with Taipei, China canceled the excursions of a number of Prague classical music ensembles and orchestras.
Part of the dispute is over commerce.
“There were a lot of promises of China investment roughly around the year 2013, 2014. However, all those promises turned out to not be fulfilled,” Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib stated Friday.
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