In October, the country reelected one-third of the senate, after which the issue of the new head of the chamber was traditionally put to a vote. According to an agreement among the leaders of the party factions, Vystrcil, who had held this post since February, was nominated.
In August, Vystrcil led the large delegation to Taiwan, which received a lot of international attention, prompting a series of sharp disapproval from Chinese officials. In particular, the official declared during his visit that he was "Taiwanese". The visit went ahead despite criticism by Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who said the country adhered to the so-called one-China policy.
Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil (C) waves next to Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (R) upon his arrival at the airport in Taoyuan on 30 August 2020. - A Czech delegation arrived in Taipei on 30 August in the second high-profile foreign visit to Taiwan this month, thwarting authoritarian China's campaign to keep the democratic island isolated from the rest of the world.
© AFP 2023 / SAM YEH
