TAIPEI (TAIWAN) – In a speech at the Taiwan parliament on Tuesday, the speaker of the Czech Senate said he was a Taiwanese himself. This is likely to further ruffle the feathers of Beijing.
China lays claim over Taiwan and had threatened to make Czech Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil pay a “heavy price” for visiting the island nation. Like most nations, the Czech Republic does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Vystrcil in his parliament address said former US President John F Kennedy’s declaration he was a Berliner during a visit to West Germany was an important message for freedom against Communism. He is leading a delegation of about 90 politicians and business executives.
“Please let me also express in person my support to Taiwan and the ultimate value of freedom and conclude today’s speech … with perhaps a more humble, but equally strong statement: ‘I am a Taiwanese’,” he said amid a standing ovation.
Kennedy made the “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech in 1963 while addressing frightened West Berlin residents who were surrounded on all sides by Communist East Berlin in which he said he was also a Berliner. It is deemed as one of the best speeches of Kennedy.
He said his visit to the island stresses the “values-based” foreign policy outlined by late President Vaclav Havel who was against Communism and was a close friend of the Dalai Lama.
Although the Czech government has not officially supported his visit to Taiwan, it summoned the Chinese ambassador to convey its anger over China’s condemnation of the visit. Beijing reciprocated by summoning the Czech envoy.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.
