Czech government refuses to provide Senate speaker with plane for Taiwan visit

The Czech government denied Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil a government aircraft for his planned visit to Taiwan, a decision he characterized as a betrayal. Vystrčil described the refusal as "a knife in the back," particularly for the delegation of businesspeople, scientists, and cultural workers who were set to accompany him on the trip. The Senate speaker's office had requested government transportation for what appears to be an official parliamentary visit to the self-governing island, which China claims as its territory and opposes international recognition of as an independent state.