Czech Senate Deputy Speaker Jiří Drahoš will visit Taiwan next Monday, with the main purpose of promoting Taiwan-Czech “chip cooperation.” He mentioned that Taiwan is a global leader in chip production and research, and Czech Republic hopes to draw inspiration and experience from Taiwan, welcoming semiconductor companies like TSMC to establish research centers in Czech Republic.
According to reports from the Central News Agency, Drahoš will take a direct flight from Prague to Taipei on the 9th and arrive in Taiwan on Monday (10th) to kick off a week-long visit.
In an interview with a Central News Agency reporter, Drahoš stated that during his visit to Taiwan, he will meet with key representatives from the Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, and exchange with universities, the Academia Sinica, and the industry. While “political meetings are the focus” of this visit, as a former scientist, he is also very interested in other issues.
Drahoš will lead a delegation of about 20 people, including representatives from top Czech universities and academies, such as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science Jana Havlikova, to further discuss semiconductor cooperation details with institutions such as the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) and the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs).
Additionally, the delegation includes Michal Lukeš, the director of the Czech National Museum, who will unveil exhibitions for “Czech Castles” and “Czech Composers” in Taiwan; at the same time, they will hold a “Czech Photography Exhibition” at the Czech Cultural Center.
This will be Drahoš’ fourth visit to Taiwan. He recalled that his cooperation with Taiwan began in 1988 through correspondence, and it was only after the “Velvet Revolution” that he was able to physically visit Taiwan, making two visits in the mid-1990s, thus witnessing the significant changes in Taiwan over the past 30 years.
In 2022, Drahoš led a small delegation to Taiwan, and despite the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, he and the delegation were warmly received, welcomed by several important figures including the President.
Drahoš mentioned that this visit to Taiwan is mainly to “continue the cooperation plan from the last visit,” to promote progress in cooperation between the two sides in the field of chips. He expressed his pleasure that Taiwanese companies and institutions are willing to participate and share their knowledge with the Czech Republic.
Drahoš noted that Taiwan leads the world in chip production and research, and Czech Republic hopes to gain inspiration and experience from Taiwan, jointly developing a chip design and supply chain resilience center domestically and nurturing talents, stating that Czech Republic hopes companies like TSMC will establish research centers in Czech Republic and strengthen cooperation in chip design between the two countries.
Czech Republic possesses top research equipment dedicated to chip research and design but still has room for development. Czech Republic is formulating a national semiconductor strategy, establishing an overall plan framework, and expanding training programs to cultivate students as future semiconductor experts.
Discussing the advantages Czech Republic holds, Drahoš mentioned its geographical location and direct flight advantages. With TSMC planning to set up a factory in Dresden, and Prague being close to Dresden with just a 2-hour drive, and direct flights between Taiwan and Czech Republic, Prague would be an ideal semiconductor supply hub.
Indeed, there is a region called Ústí nad Labem between Prague and Dresden, bordered by the State of Saxony, which could be a potential area to establish a semiconductor supply chain.
Drahoš stated that Ústí is an industrialized city with factories in chemicals, coal mining, steel, etc., and is now transitioning into a high-tech industrial city. If semiconductor companies set up factories in Czech Republic, the central or local government might provide financial support, especially in the Ústí region, which understands the advantages of TSMC setting up a factory in Dresden and is actively discussing it.
The first overseas IC design training base in Taiwan will be located in Prague. Drahoš indicated that this has significant potential to become a training ground for the entire Central European region. Currently, both Taiwan and Czech Republic are intensively preparing for the IC design base to start smoothly in September.
Apart from the IC design base, Charles University in Prague is also collaborating with National Chengchi University in Taiwan to establish a “Supply Chain Resilience Center”; the second-largest city in Czech Republic, Brno, will also have a chip research and design center.
These initiatives are part of the Taiwan-Czech cooperation plan aimed at enhancing supply chain resilience and semiconductor research cooperation. During this visit to Taiwan, Drahoš will discuss detailed cooperation with experts from National Chengchi University and the National Applied Research Laboratories.
Regarding the recent military maneuvers by the Chinese government around Taiwan, Drahoš expressed Czech Republic’s deep concern about military exercises near Taiwan, emphasizing that the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are essential for regional and global security and prosperity. He stressed that all solutions should be through peaceful means and not unilateral actions, especially not escalating tensions with force.
Drahoš hoped that the situation in the Taiwan Strait would not deteriorate to avoid affecting the semiconductor industry chain, but efforts should be made to ensure that the semiconductor supply chain through forms like “friendshoring” remains active and expands further, an area in which Czech Republic is keen to cooperate with Taiwan.
Drahoš mentioned that there is ample potential for cooperation between Taiwan and Czech Republic. Apart from semiconductors, cooperation in fields such as space industry, biomedicine, computers, and artificial intelligence is also possible; currently, universities in Czech Republic and Taiwan have over 50 bilateral agreements and exchange programs involving hundreds of students.
He highlighted that cultural exchanges are also an important aspect of Taiwan-Czech cooperation, delighted to see cultural offices in both Prague and Taipei regularly promoting exhibitions, concerts, and other activities. He specifically looked forward to the upcoming exhibition of the National Palace Museum at the Czech National Museum, which will be a cultural event in Central Europe.
Furthermore, as the Taipei-Prague direct flight is nearing its first anniversary, Drahoš, a significant advocate for this bilateral air route, expressed his joy at seeing the successful implementation of the Taipei-Prague direct flight, with two round-trip flights per week. According to him, tickets are almost sold out, indicating not only a high demand for tourism between Taiwan and Czech Republic but also increasing business activities, receiving a warm response.
Drahoš remarked that the direct flight not only tightens the connection between the two countries but also gives Taiwanese tourists the opportunity to discover the beauty of Prague. While Prague is a major attraction, Czech Republic has other beautiful towns as well. He eagerly anticipated his fourth trip to Taiwan, looking forward to expanding cooperation with Taiwan.