‘ROLE MODEL’:
Taiwan-Czech cooperation in Ukraine could extend beyond humanitarian aid and into areas such as drone technology, as they are used extensively
Taiwan-Czech collaboration to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression is a global “model” of democratic solidarity, Czech Governmental Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Tomas Kopecny said on Friday.
Kopecny underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on drone technology, saying that the emerging field could play a crucial role in defending against authoritarian threats from Russia and China.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, Kopecny told the Central News Agency that Taiwan-Czech cooperation in Ukraine represents high-impact aid provided by democracies in the most war-torn areas and was “a role model for the whole world.”
Photo: CNA
His comments followed Czech President Petr Pavel’s remarks delivered a day earlier at the same venue, where he praised his country’s joint projects with Taiwan to help Ukraine.
The aid projects jointly supported by the Czech Republic and Taiwan include a water treatment facility serving about 380,000 people and a cogeneration system providing electricity and heating to about 100,000 in Ukraine, Kopecny said.
Since the escalation of Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022, Taiwan and the Czech Republic have signed three cooperation deals focused on providing water and power facilities and enhancing Ukraine’s healthcare services, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Czech government had been guiding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and private-sector actors working on the ground in Ukraine, Kopecny said, adding that bilateral collaboration could extend beyond humanitarian aid.
Drone technology should be a key area of focus, given that drones have been used extensively by Ukraine and Russia during the protracted conflict, he said.
Taiwanese and Czech companies have collaborated on drone development for several years, he said, adding that it would only be logical for both sides to “take lessons” from the Ukrainian battlefield, without elaborating.
Ukraine has limited the Russian Navy’s access to and operations in the Black Sea through the use of drone and missile attacks, along with other measures, enabling it to continue trading with the world, Kopecny said.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference, which brought together government leaders, politicians and private-sector representatives to discuss Ukraine’s recovery and long-term reconstruction, was held in Rome on Thursday and Friday last week.