Taiwan Democracy Lab recently organized a public lecture featuring Martin Hála, founder and CEO of the Czech think tank “Sinopsis,” to analyze the process of “Countering Communist Propaganda in Czechia” and discuss the evolution of the Czech government’s stance from pro-China to supporting Taiwan.
On the evening of the 12th, Taiwan Democracy Lab hosted the public lecture “Before 2027: Memorandum for Taiwan from Georgia and Czechia” at the NTU Public Enterprise Center in Taipei. The event included presentations by former Georgian Minister of Defense Tinatin Khidasheli, Martin Hála from Sinopsis, and Taiwanese legislator Shen Boyang on topics such as “Russian Influence in Georgia,” “Countering Communist Propaganda in Czechia,” and “Bringing International Experiences back to Taiwan for Dialogue.” The event was moderated by Wu Ming-hsuan, co-founder and CEO of Taiwan Democracy Lab.
Hála pointed out that after the end of the Cold War, Czechia and Taiwan shared a high degree of resonance in democratic values and historical experiences. However, following the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, the legitimacy of the Western system began to be questioned, leading to a gradual shift in Czech political atmosphere and unrealistic expectations towards China. Since 2012, Czechia joined China-led frameworks such as “16+1” and “Belt and Road,” with former President Zeman explicitly leaning towards Beijing in foreign policy, making pro-China sentiments mainstream.
He mentioned that China was portrayed as an alternative option to resolve Czechia’s economic troubles. This narrative not only promoted pro-China tendencies among political elites but also imbalanced public discourse, allowing Chinese companies like CEFC, known for misinformation and bribery, to deeply penetrate Czechia’s political and business sectors.
Hála stated that against this backdrop, Sinopsis think tank was established with the aim of systematically researching and communicating the structural issues behind China’s influence to bridge information gaps in public discussions. However, in a pro-China-dominant environment, Sinopsis faced skepticism, criticism, and even legal threats. Fortunately, scholars within the university system who had long studied China provided crucial support to continue their research.
He mentioned that the turning point in changing public attitudes in Czechia came from the collapse of CEFC. The company, once touted as the flagship enterprise to realize the “China Dream of Czechia,” was later revealed to operate by borrowing from China and transferring funds to Czechia, creating an unsustainable financial structure based on deception. Starting from 2017, reports of bribery and fraud surfaced, with global media exposing CEFC’s bribery network and its chairman disappearing in March 2018.
Hála emphasized that the CEFC scandal greatly shook Czech society, prompting people to question the legitimacy of China’s system and its policies. This led to a more critical public attitude and indirectly prompted Czechia to re-evaluate its relations with both China and Taiwan.
In 2018, as multiple countries witnessed political party changes and the exposure of documents revealing China’s influence through illicit transactions in local politics, Hála highlighted that such occurrences aren’t isolated incidents but systematic issues. Continuous disclosure is essential for society to grasp the structural nature of these problems, not just in Czechia but also in Taiwan and other regions.
He noted that the relationship between Czechia and Taiwan has long been seen as a natural and profound connection. Czechia’s experience of the Velvet Revolution in 1989, breaking away from the communist system, bears strong similarities to Taiwan’s struggle as a small democratic entity in the international system. In the early 1990s, Czech society widely supported Taiwan due to their shared history of fighting for democracy and autonomy under authoritarian and external pressures, forming a deep value identity.
Hála mentioned that in recent years, Czechia’s policy towards China has clearly shifted, while its support for Taiwan has become more pronounced. Despite some individuals in the new government continuing past pro-China stances, a full return to complete pro-China sentiment has become difficult after recent political changes.