On Monday, June 10th, the New Eastbound Alliance (TeaLa) had the great honor of being the first stop for the delegation of the Czech Deputy Speaker visiting Taiwan. A grand welcome banquet was held at the Howard Plaza Hotel to deepen industrial exchanges and friendly ties between the two countries, promoting deeper cooperation in semiconductor, AI, and electronics manufacturing sectors. The event saw the participation of representatives from many well-known Taiwanese companies, as well as related government, academic, and research departments, creating a grand yet warm atmosphere.
The banquet opened with speeches by Dr. J.W. Kuo, Chairman of TeaLa and current Minister of Economic Affairs, and Jiří Drahoš, Chief Deputy Speaker of the Czech Senate. This gathering signified the Taiwanese technology industry's warm welcome to the Czech delegation and their high appreciation for the longstanding friendly relations and industrial cooperation between the two nations. Significantly, the "Taiwan-Czech Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation," which took effect in May 2020, has fostered a fair and investment-friendly environment for businesses from both countries. In his speech, Minister Kuo highlighted that a key policy objective at the Ministry of Economic Affairs is to leverage Taiwan's strong industries through a supply chain model that encourages the establishment of technology industry clusters overseas, with the Czech Republic being the optimal gateway to the EU market.
Furthermore, with the EU's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, it has declared a ban on the sale of new fuel vehicles by 2035. This shift necessitates the transition to electric vehicles, driving up the demand for IC design and chips. Given Taiwan's expertise in IC chip manufacturing, there are expected to be numerous future collaboration opportunities between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Chief Deputy Speaker Jiří Drahoš delivered a heartfelt speech brimming with positive intentions for cooperation. He expressed deep gratitude for the warm reception by the New Southbound Alliance and underscored the Czech Republic's high regard for its relationship with Taiwan. Drahoš highlighted several investment advantages in the Czech Republic, including a robust industrial base, a highly skilled workforce, and strong foundational research. He emphasized the country's strategic geographic location, being close to all major chip manufacturers in Europe, especially the upcoming TSMC facility in Dresden. With a travel time of less than an hour from Usti, Czech Republic, to Dresden, and direct flights by China Airlines, the Czech Republic presents an ideal gateway for Taiwan to enter the European semiconductor supply chain market.
This welcome banquet not only showcased the Alliance's warm hospitality towards the Czech delegation but also laid a solid foundation for future cooperation between the two countries. With joint efforts, the tree of friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic will surely remain evergreen, and the path of cooperation will be even broader.
More activities with the Czech government will be arranged in the future. Members of TeaLa, as well as enterprises interested in expanding into Europe and investing in the Czech Republic and the regions of Central and Eastern Europe can contact the Secretariat of the Alliance. Let’s join hands and advance into Europe together!
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