TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) arrived in Europe on Sunday (Oct. 13), expressing delight in making the Czech Republic her first stop and calling the country as one of Taiwan's most steadfast partners in Europe.
In a social media post, Tsai stated that she intends to strengthen Taiwan's relationships with fellow democracies. She also shared her commitment to collaborating with like-minded international partners to tackle global challenges in a Facebook post.
Tsai flew to the Czech Republic a day earlier to attend the Forum 2000, where she plans to deliver a speech on Taiwan's democratic experiences. The forum's agenda, titled "Proving Democracy's Resolve and Resilience," will explore topics such as global order, fragile democracies, democracy and technology, the Ukraine forum, and key areas of regional interest.
Scheduled for Monday, her speech will occur amid notable attendees, including Czech President Petr Pavel, Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova, former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former Polish President Lech Walesa.
The Forum 2000 website lists Taiwanese partners as the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (台灣民主基金會) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague (駐捷克台北經濟文化辦事處), which displays the Republic of China's flag for nationality.