‘I’m Taiwan,’ the Czech speaker tells parliament, possibly resenting China

TAIPAI (Reuters) – The head of the Czech Senate declared himself Taiwanese in a speech to Taiwan’s parliament on Tuesday, following the late US President John F. Kennedy in Berlin in 1945. Kennedy channeled the notoriety of communism, with the prospect of further devastation to Beijing.

China, a democracy that claims Taiwan as its own territory, has threatened to pay a “heavy price” for Czech Senate Speaker Milos Wistril to visit the island. The Czech Republic, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Addressing the Taiwanese parliament, Wystrasil, who is leading a delegation of about 90 politicians and business executives, said Kennedy’s declaration that he was a Berliner was an important message against freedom and communism.

“Please allow me to express my support for Taiwan and the ultimate value of independence, and end today’s speech with perhaps the most polite, but equally stern statement: ‘I am a Taiwanese,'” Wistersil said.

Kennedy’s “Ich Bin in Berliner” speech in 19ch, telling frightened people in West Berlin that he was surrounded by communist East Berlin, that he was also a Berliner, a speech called Kennedy’s best.

Wistersil said his visit to Taiwan underscored the “value-based” foreign policy pursued by the late President Weklav, a personal friend of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, and the late President Veklav.

While the Czech government has not supported his visit, it is annoyed by China’s harsh condemnation and has summoned the Chinese ambassador. Beijing also summoned the Czech ambassador on Monday.

Czech President Milos Zem has sought to establish business and political ties with China since taking office in 2013, but his efforts have been thwarted by failed investment plans and the spark to allow the Czechs to play a role in developing next-generation telecom networks.