Former NATO general Pavel (right) was elected president of the Czech Republic, and his wife Eva (left) is also a soldier.

(Reuters)

[Reporter Lu Yixuan/Report from Taipei] The Czech presidential election ended yesterday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated today that President Tsai Ing-wen expressed sincere congratulations to the elected Pavel on behalf of the Taiwan government and people at the first time on the evening of the 28th.

Czech media reported that President-elect Petr Pavel will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen today (29th).

The Czech Republic held the second round of presidential elections on the 28th. Former NATO Military Council Chairman Petr Pavel defeated former Prime Minister Andrej Babis with nearly 58.32% of the vote, becoming the fourth Czech Republic since independence in 1993. President.

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Xiao Guangwei, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated today that President Tsai Ing-wen sent congratulations to Pavel on the evening of the 28th, and expressed his pleasure to see the Czech Republic successfully complete the presidential election and write a new chapter in the process of democratic development. Cooperation, promote substantive exchanges in various topics, deepen democratic partnerships, and wish the new President Pavel a complete success in his term of office.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the Czech Republic is an important partner of Taiwan with similar ideas in Europe. It not only shares the values ​​of freedom, democracy and human rights, but also cooperates closely in various fields such as economy, trade, science and technology, culture and education. The two sides have strengthened epidemic prevention and key industries after the outbreak Cooperation to strengthen the resilience of democratic supply chains; after the Russian-Ukrainian war broke out at the end of February last year, the two countries also joined hands to help resettle displaced Ukrainian refugees.

The Czech government announced the Policy Statement of the Government last year, listing Taiwan as a key cooperative country in the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific strategy also reaffirmed that Taiwan will be the main partner of the Czech Republic’s future Indo-Pacific policy. It will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges and pay attention to the situation in the Taiwan Strait. and the South China Sea issue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sincerely congratulates General Pavel on his election victory, and looks forward to promoting the prosperity of the two countries and the well-being of the people on the basis of the existing solid bilateral relations.

Czech media "Seznam Zprávy" reported on the 28th that Pavel's foreign policy adviser, Petr Kolář, confirmed that Pavel had arranged a communication with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on January 29. phone calls, "while we are also arranging more phone calls from the heads of state".

Earlier, Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova personally visited Prague to congratulate Pavel. Pavel had also spoken to Polish President Andrzej Duda. French President Emmanuel Macron also congratulated Pavel.

The Czech president is a ceremonial position, a symbolic head of state, and the real power is held by the prime minister.

But the president still appoints the prime minister, constitutional judges and central bank governors, and has a say in diplomacy.

Pavel will take office in early March.