Former Taiwan President Tsai Calls on Democracies To Unite at Prague Forum

TaiwanPlus News

Former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tells a forum in Prague that democracies must unite in the face of authoritarianism. She also met with Czech President Petr Pavel during the event.

Transcript

00:00Former President Tsai Ing-wen shakes hands with Czech President Petr Pavel.

00:04It's a significant gesture, as China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and tries

00:08to block Taipei's officials, including those no longer in office, from attending international

00:12events like this.

00:14But this annual pro-democracy event, the 2000 Forum in Prague, isn't the sort of place where

00:18Chinese representatives are likely to appear.

00:21That's especially true given this year's host, as Czech President Petr Pavel has taken a

00:25hawkish stance towards both China and its strategic partner, Russia.

00:29In his remarks at the Forum's opening, he even named China, though in conciliatory terms.

00:34I consistently urge major global powers, and especially China, to use their influence to

00:41promote peace and international cooperation.

00:44This means not backing Russia's violent campaign, but also showing restraint in Taiwan's trade

00:51and addressing human rights violations at home.

00:54Former President Tsai is here to speak on the conference's theme of proving democracy's

00:58resolve and resilience, and on Taiwan's commitment to democracy despite decades of Chinese threats.

01:03Taiwan stands on the front lines of the assault.

01:08The most recent action taken is China's announcement earlier today for a military exercise called

01:16Joint Assault 2024B.

01:20For more than half a century, Taiwan has faced constant intimidation from the Chinese Communist

01:26regime, which has tried every possible way to annex Taiwan.

01:32But Tsai said the world's democracies need to have each other's backs in the face of

01:36authoritarianism.

01:37Unity and cooperation among democracies became most essential.

01:44Democracies need to send the signal that intimidation and use of force against any member will result

01:53in serious consequences.

01:56But not all European countries are quite as willing to test China's patience as the Czech

02:00Republic.

02:01Tsai's tour of the continent will also include a stop in France.

02:04But a visit to London is off the table, after the UK Foreign Office asked Parliament to

02:08delay an invitation, hoping to avoid disrupting an upcoming goodwill visit by the foreign

02:12minister to Beijing.

02:14Meaning, the higher-level reception she had in Prague may remain an exception.

02:19Klein Wong and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.

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