Taiwan and the Czech Republic, both concerned about increased pressure from Russia and China, have intensified their relationship, developing economic, security, and diplomatic alliances, the Wall Street Journal reports.
A small powers' alliance
Taiwan and the Czech Republic have both been concerned with being dominated by their larger geopolitical competitors. With China threatening Taiwan and the Czech Republic dealing with European security threats, the two countries have both found common interest in increasing trade, intelligence sharing, and political support.
Diplomats report that Prague has emerged as Taiwan's loudest supporter in NATO, even facilitating Taiwanese aid to Ukraine, which does not have formal relations with Taipei. Taiwan's cybersecurity capabilities have also been found to be beneficial, as Prague and the surrounding countries strive to combat Chinese and Russian cyber intrusions.
Deepening economic connections
Taiwan has boosted investment in the Czech Republic, especially in the tech industry. While Taiwan's chip giant TSMC selected Germany as the site for its new European factory, the Czech Republic is still an important link in the supply chain, drawing Taiwanese business interest.
The introduction of nonstop flights between Taipei and Prague in 2023 has further cemented economic and cultural ties, with officials hailing the route as one of Taiwan's most successful.
Managing tensions with China
In spite of Beijing's attempts to browbeat Prague into keeping its distance from Taiwan, the Czech Republic has persisted in strengthening its relations with Taipei. This is reminiscent of earlier diplomatic tensions, such as China's outrage at Czech politicians meeting the Dalai Lama and supporting Taiwan's democratic progress.
China has limited influence over the Czech Republic, which sends less than 2% of its exports to China. Prague is still being careful in its diplomatic moves not to trigger additional economic reprisals.
Historical origins of the alliance
The Czech Republic's welcoming of Taiwan is based on its own experience of emerging from communism to democracy. The late President Václav Havel of the Czech Republic was a vocal supporter of human rights and democracy, and he promoted early contacts with Taiwan's democratic leaders.
In recent years, Taiwanese technology firms have opted for the Czech Republic as a European hub, with companies such as Foxconn, Acer, and Asus having set up operations there. The relationship has become more complex with changing global economic trends and the increasing presence of China in Europe.
Future challenges and opportunities
As Taiwan and the Czech Republic advance their cooperation deeper, there is still a setback. The Czech Republic seeks to expand Taiwan's backing in Europe, but some EU countries remain reluctant to cross China.
Concurrently, the relationship has produced surprise dividends—like Prague's symbolic rebuff of Chinese power by taking pangolins from Taiwan after Beijing withdrew its offer of pandas. This is part of the larger geopolitical realignment, whereby smaller countries are discovering fresh alignments to navigate the complexities of a more complicated world order.
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