Prague Mayor He Ruipu to visit Taiwan in November, praises it as essential partner.

Former Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib recently stated in an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency that he will visit Taiwan again this November. During his term as mayor, Hrib was well-known for his staunchly pro-Taiwan stance. Not only did he visit Taiwan multiple times in person, but he also successfully promoted the establishment of a sister-city relationship between Prague and Taipei. Furthermore, he facilitated the cross-border loan and breeding program of Taiwan's precious protected species, the pangolin, to the Prague Zoo. In the interview, Hrib bluntly stated that compared to China, which is unstable and exerts strong political pressure, Taiwan is not only a much more reliable partner for the Czech Republic, but the two sides are also much closer friends. He added that Taiwan is an indispensable and vital source of investment for the Czech Republic's economic development, highlighting that bilateral relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic have elevated to a substantive and deepened level of partnership in recent years.

Reviewing Hrib's political career and his policy toward Taiwan, he demonstrated immense political courage during his tenure as Prague Mayor. Defying public opinion at the time, he decided to cancel Prague's original sister-city agreement with Beijing, China. The primary reason was that Beijing authorities insisted on writing the "One China principle" into the agreement's text in an attempt to interfere with local municipal autonomy and diplomatic space. Hrib believed that exchanges between cities should be based on culture, economics, and public welfare, rather than having unreasonable political preconditions imposed upon them. After terminating the sister-city relationship with Beijing, Hrib quickly turned his attention to Taiwan, actively promoting the official establishment of a sister-city relationship between Prague and Taipei in 2020. He subsequently facilitated the dispatch of Taiwanese pangolins "Run Hou Tang" and "Chuan Bao" from the Taipei Zoo to the Prague Zoo for a breeding loan. This conservation cooperation not only sparked a warm response in Europe, but also became the most symbolic milestone in civil and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.

In addition to city diplomacy and cultural conservation cooperation, Hrib particularly emphasized the substantive significance of Taiwan-Czech bilateral economic, trade, and geopolitical ties in the interview. He pointed out that Taiwan, serving as a core hub of the global high-tech industry—particularly as a major manufacturing center for semiconductor chips—holds a pivotal position in the industrial development of Europe and the Czech Republic. Compared to China, which frequently uses economic leverage for political extortion or diplomatic suppression, Taiwan has demonstrated a high degree of integrity and professionalism in the international supply chain, making it a democratic ally that the Czech Republic can trust. In recent years, with the deployment of Taiwanese enterprises such as TSMC in Europe and the opening of direct flights, Taiwanese capital and technology have injected strong momentum into the Czech economy. Hrib stated candidly that Taiwan is not only a reliable partner, but also a good friend sharing the values of democracy, freedom, and human rights with the Czech Republic. The deepening of bilateral relations is based on the principle of mutual benefit rather than unilateral political pressure.

Hrib's scheduled visit to Taiwan this November symbolizes that exchanges at the local and central levels between Taiwan and the Czech Republic—amid the post-pandemic era and geopolitical changes—have not been interrupted by changes in political power, but are instead continuing to develop steadily and robustly. Within the Czech political sphere, although the central government must balance the European Union's overall attitude toward China in its diplomatic policy, many mayors and politicians, led by those in Prague, have demonstrated strong autonomy and a pro-Taiwan stance in recent years. This type of "city diplomacy" often breaks through traditional diplomatic deadlocks and opens up more possibilities for substantive bilateral relations. This upcoming trip by Hrib is expected to further consolidate the cooperative foundation between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in technology, education, culture, and local governance, while delivering an important message of solidarity and mutual assistance among democratic countries to the international community.

From the public statements and practical actions of former Prague Mayor Hrib, it is evident that Taiwan's diplomatic efforts promoted in Europe in recent years have gradually borne fruit, no longer limited to verbal support but implemented in concrete economic and trade investments, animal conservation, and urban governance exchanges. While some countries still play both sides in the rivalry between major powers, Czech political figures like Hrib, who steadfastly support Taiwan, have chosen to stand on the side of shared values, viewing Taiwan as an indispensable and reliable partner. This bilateral relationship built on mutual respect and shared trust has not only expanded broader diplomatic space for Taiwan in Europe, but also set a model for substantive cooperation among the global democratic camp. With the launch of the November visit to Taiwan, bilateral relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic are expected to reach new heights, continuously deepening substantive and mutually beneficial cooperation across all fields.