Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of June 7, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation of members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and officials from the Bratislava Region of Slovakia. Pointing out that bilateral ties between Taiwan and Slovakia have grown increasingly close over the past few years, creating a virtuous cycle on the international stage, President Tsai expressed confidence that Taiwan and Slovakia can work together with other like-minded countries to strengthen cooperation, form a resilient democratic front, and further contribute to the world.

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

I would like to welcome National Council Deputy Speaker Milan Laurenčík, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, as well as President of the Bratislava Region Juraj Droba and Slovak-Taiwanese Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Peter Osuský, who have come to Taiwan before. For this trip, you have assembled a cross-party delegation which will engage in exchanges with Taiwanese legislators and municipal officials. I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your friendship and the importance you place on Taiwan.

Over the past few years, bilateral ties between Taiwan and Slovakia have grown increasingly close. To jointly fight the pandemic, Taiwan donated face masks to Slovakia, and Slovakia donated vaccines to Taiwan. Together, we have created a virtuous cycle on the international stage, and I want to thank Slovakia once again for their assistance.

Last year, after National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) led a delegation to Slovakia, State Secretary Karol Galek of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic led a delegation to Taiwan and attended the first session of the Taiwanese-Slovak Commission on Economic Cooperation. During those visits, we signed 16 memorandums of understanding to deepen exchanges in areas including R&D and innovation, trade promotion, aerospace, and semiconductors. This year has also seen visits to Slovakia by a group of semiconductor experts from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and by a delegation of executives from venture capital firm Taiwania Capital commissioned by the National Development Council. I am sure we will continue to upgrade our bilateral industrial cooperation.

With this year's World Health Assembly (WHA) having recently ended, I want to take this opportunity to thank our distinguished guests for strongly supporting Taiwan's WHA participation. This year, the foreign affairs, healthcare, and European affairs committees of Slovakia's National Council passed resolutions supporting Taiwan's WHA participation. This friendship has touched the people of Taiwan.

I look forward to Taiwan and Slovakia continuing cooperation on issues of global concern and building a closer partnership. As in the case of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan and Slovakia have collaborated to assist Ukraine and help Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia. I am confident that in the future, Taiwan and Slovakia can work together with other like-minded countries to strengthen cooperation, create a resilient democratic front, and further contribute to the world.

In closing, I want to once again welcome the members of the delegation. I am delighted to know that this Friday, you will witness the signing of a partnership agreement between Kaohsiung City and the Bratislava Region to promote bilateral economic cooperation. 

Thank you, and I wish you all an enjoyable and fruitful journey. 

National Council Deputy Speaker Laurenčík then delivered remarks, saying that it was a great honor for him, as deputy speaker, and for his fellow members of the National Council to meet the leader of the Republic of China (Taiwan), geographically distant but spiritually close to Slovakia as a fellow democracy. Deputy Speaker Laurenčík said that we have walked shoulder to shoulder through the difficult years of this pandemic, and that while the global pandemic has posed very serious challenges, it has helped build bridges of friendship and cooperation between our two nations. 

Deputy Speaker Laurenčík stated that Slovakia will never forget the selfless aid that Taiwan provided during the most difficult period of the pandemic, with hundreds of thousands of medical face masks from Taiwan helping countless Slovak citizens avoid infection with COVID-19. Deputy Speaker Laurenčík added that, to thank Slovakia for providing vaccines, Taiwan lit up the Taipei 101 skyscraper at night with messages of thanks, describing it as an unforgettable gesture which deeply moved them.   

Deputy Speaker Laurenčík noted that Taiwan has friends in the National Council, such as Chairman Peter Osuský, who support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Deputy Speaker Laurenčík also observed that Taiwan's friends across Slovakia have emphatically praised the cooperation that our two countries have begun in trade and other fields, particularly for providing employment opportunities to the Slovak people and for Taiwanese investment that helps develop the Slovak economy.  

Stating that, as a friend, Slovakia stands behind Taiwan and will not compromise that position because of external obstruction or interference, Deputy Speaker Laurenčík said that Slovakia is prepared to resist powers that threaten democracy, and noted that we in Taiwan and Slovakia very much cherish democracy and freedom because we both have walked long and winding roads to realize democracy. The deputy speaker added that he believes President Tsai is herself the embodiment of the democracy and freedom enjoyed by Taiwan and its people.  

President of the Bratislava Region Juraj Droba then delivered remarks, thanking those present and stating that during the previous day's packed itinerary, the delegation had achieved fruitful results and met with Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌). President Droba said that Taiwan has long been an important partner to Slovakia, and observed that high-level visits between our two countries have been especially frequent over the past few years.

Noting that he has long worked in politics, President Droba stated that the purpose of his visit to Taiwan was to sign a partnership agreement between Kaohsiung City and the Bratislava Region, and expressed his belief that this kind of global cooperation is enriched by collaborative efforts across different cities and regions.

President Droba said that, in his role, he will work proactively to promote wide-ranging collaboration with Kaohsiung in areas including technology and trade, and added that he looks forward to reciprocal visits by junior scholars and other young people, as Bratislava offers Taiwanese academics and youth an outstanding, diverse, and broad perspective that can open up numerous opportunities for study.

President Droba concluded by welcoming President Tsai to visit the Bratislava Region when conditions permit, saying that they are "always ready to roll out the red carpet" for her. 

The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Representative to Slovakia David Nan-yang Lee (李南陽), and Slovak Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei Representative Martin Podstavek, with Secretary-General to the President David T. Lee (李大維) also in attendance.