China is not happy about the Czech Republic accepting medical aid from Taiwan, with the Chinese deputy ambassador to the Czech Republic issuing multiple protests against the Czech government’s decision.
Last week, Czech Senate chairman Miloš Vystrčil met with Liang-Ruey Ke, the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Czech Republic, to accept Taiwan’s gift of 63,000 face masks.
Taiwan had also previously donated 25 lung ventilators to the Czech Republic.
In reaction, Chinese diplomats criticized the head of the Czech Senate for taking part in the donation, as well as the fact that the Czech Health Ministry mentions Taiwan in its materials regarding the spread of coronavirus in the world.
Moreover, the Chinese ambassador to Prague, Zhang Jianmin, had previously protested at the Czech Foreign Ministry due to the launch of Czech-Taiwanese expert cooperation in research and medical technologies connected to the current epidemic.
“China criticizes the contact of top Czech officials with Taiwanese representatives, most recently the audience with the Senate chairman. However, China did not challenge the fact that Taiwan provided aid to us in form of medical material,” said Zuzana Štichová, spokeswoman for the Czech Foreign Ministry.
Štichová added the Foreign Ministry welcomes the Taiwanese support and appreciates it.
After receiving the Taiwanese gift, Czech Senate chairman Miloš Vystrčil said that Europe should take advantage of Taiwan’s findings in the fight against coronavirus, and so should the World Health Organization (WHO), which is being reproached for its pro-Chinese orientation.
Mainland China considers Taiwan its rebel province which belongs to the communist state. However, Taiwan has been practically independent since 1949, having its own government and a democratic regime.
Like most countries in the world, the Czech Republic respects the One-China policy, which means that it recognizes only mainland China.
