The Chinese government threatened Czech companies over a planned Taiwan visit by a top Czech official. It’s part of a global strategy to pressure entities that engage with Taiwan.
The Diplomat
Date: February 21, 20207.
By: Nick Aspinwall
The Chinese embassy in the Czech Republic threatened retaliation against Czech companies if its Senate chair went through with a planned visit to Taiwan, according to a letter viewed this week by
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je shakes hands with Mayor Zdenek Hřib during a visit to Prague, January 13, 2020
Credit: Facebook/ 柯文哲
The threat is the latest action in a pattern of Chinese government backlash toward political, business. and academic figures from around the world who engage with Taiwan or its government, either by visiting Taiwan or by supporting Taiwanese social, cultural, or political causes that Beijing sees as contradicting its claim of sovereignty over the country.
The Chinese embassy reportedly sent a letter dated January 10 to the Czech presidential office to express concerns over plans by the late Senate chair Jaroslav Kubera to visit Taiwan as part of a business delegation.
In the letter, viewed by Reuters and the Czech outlet Aktuálně, the embassy said that Kubera’s planned visit would be “a grave violation of the recognition of the One-China principle.” [FULL STORY]