A statement by China’s foreign minister, who threatened Senate President Milos Vystrcil (ODS), angered Czech politicians. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently invited the Chinese Ambassador to explain.
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“The comment is out of place and inappropriate, and the minister has promised to deal with it on the official line. He will instruct the officials to explain to the ambassador that we are sovereign countries, “said Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who is with Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. That is why he was represented at today’s meeting with a Chinese diplomat by Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa.
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The head of Czech diplomacy confirmed that the aim of the meeting was for the ambassador to explain the statement, but did not forget to emphasize that the Czech government recognizes the policy of one China and that they did not recommend Miloš Vystrčil’s trip to Taiwan. “Of course, we perceive the statement of the Chinese minister as something that is not entirely common in diplomatic relations. Such straightforward and harsh words are not really used in diplomacy. I intend to oppose it, “he added.
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Petříček commissioned a meeting with the Ambassador of his Deputy Martin Tlapa. At the meeting, he expressed “fundamental disagreement” with Wang’s statement. He described it as inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of diplomatic communication between the two sovereign countries.
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The castle did not officially comment on the situation, only the president’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček pointed out on Twitter that we are now “the only ones in Europe on the path to confrontation”.
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Since the time of President Václav Havel, the Czech Republic has pursued a communication policy towards foreign partners. We are now the only ones in Europe to embark on a path of confrontation that spins a spiral of hostile acts and declarations.
This is not good news for the future.
– Jiří Ovčáček (@PREZIDENTmluvci) August 31, 2020
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The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang I., said that China will force “to pay a high price for his short-sighted behavior and political opportunism.” Wang added that questioning the principle of one China means “antagonizing 1.4 billion Chinese” and that the Chinese government and people will not tolerate the “open provocation” of the president of the Czech Senate and the anti-Chinese forces behind him.
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“The first day of Taiwan’s journey has passed and the Chinese Communists are already threatening. They tell us that the principle of one China is to be absorbed as a policy of a bent back. But Miloš Vystrčil has a spine just like a candle. I’m not afraid of him, I’m a fan of him. Czech politics needed his way like salt, “said Miroslava Němcová (ODS), Member of Parliament and former Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
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Senator Jiří Drahoš (nez.), Who is going to Taiwan in October with a scientific-academic delegation to follow up on the current journey of Czech senators, was among the first to react to the Chinese threats. “Chinese comrades should realize that we are not their governorate, but a free democratic country,” Drahos said.
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“We are reaping the benefits of the pathos of the president, prime minister and ministers at the airport, who have the impression that China can afford everything for us. Can not! And our diplomacy must make this very clear, “said the head of TOP 09, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, alluding to the government’s welcome of aircraft with curtains purchased from China in the spring at the time of the beginning of the epidemic.
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Her party colleague, Senator Tomáš Czernin, who described threats from the head of Chinese diplomacy as an instrument of the Cold War, speaks in the same spirit.
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Such threats are instruments of the Cold War. China must not afford that. We are not a Chinese province, although the president and government are working hard on that.https://t.co/MzXnflIEdS
– Tomas Czernin (@TomasCzernin) August 31, 2020
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The words of the Chinese minister also angered the head of the Pirates, Ivan Bartoš. “The statement of the Chinese Foreign Minister addressed to Miloš Vystrčil is completely over the edge. There is not a single reason for us to be influenced by such threats. “
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According to Jan Bartošek, vice-chairman of the KDU-ČSL, Petříček should not only summon the Chinese ambassador, but also send him home straight away. “I am awaiting his dismissal and calling our ambassador from Beijing home for consultations. The threat from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is beyond the absolute edge and unacceptable, “he said.
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Václav Votava, a Social Democrat MP, was one of the few coalition leaders to oppose Chinese pressure. “Threatening the country’s second highest constitutional official is not only over the edge, but it is absolutely outrageous! It is an unprecedented interference in the internal affairs of the Czech Republic, “he said.
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Senate President Milos Vystrcil flew to Taiwan with a 90-member delegation last Saturday. In addition to several senators, he is accompanied by scientists, academics and the mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), who in recent months has strengthened the capital’s partnership with the Taiwanese metropolis of Taipei. The majority of the delegation consists of Czech entrepreneurs who want to establish cooperation with their Taiwanese counterparts.
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