00:00The Czech Republic will not provide a government plane to the Speaker of the
00:04country's Senate for his upcoming visit to Taiwan. Senate head Milos Vistracil
00:09is said to be planning to lead a business delegation to Taipei. But Prime
00:14Minister Andrei Babiš reportedly said providing a plane for the trip would
00:18signal the government was giving its endorsement, something he wants to avoid.
00:23Babiš criticized previous visits to Taiwan by Czech politicians, including
00:28Vistracil, saying they destroyed business with China. He said he wants a
00:32pragmatic foreign policy focused on Czech businesses rather than a values-based one,
00:38which he says has not benefited his country. Taiwan's foreign ministry did not
00:42address the Prime Minister's comments, only saying they welcomed Vistracil to Taiwan.
01:10The Czech Republic had been growing closer to Taiwan in recent years, despite a
01:15lack of formal diplomatic ties. A report last year called it one of Taiwan's closest partners in Europe,
01:21but that was largely under the country's previous Prime Minister. Babiš was appointed
01:25at the end of 2025. He's seen as more pro-China and has criticized what he saw as the former
01:31government's pro-Taiwan stance. So while Babiš's recent move appears to be in line with some of his
01:38past comments, it could signal a shift in Czech-Taiwan relations under this new government.
01:44Scott Wong and Cadence Quaranta for Talent Plus.
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