“Vystrcil is a rule-breaker who is trampling on diplomatic civilization. His gilding for his evil deeds is a manifestation of being a political hooligan.”
These words, carrying aplomb reminiscent of North Korean propaganda, graced a Global Times editorial on Monday. So why the fury?
Milos Vystrcil is the president of the Czech Senate, and he began a six-day visit to Taiwan on Sunday. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be subjugated under Chinese Communist Party’s rule. Beijing and its Global Times mouthpiece view visits such as that of Vystrcil as a grievous affront. Still, Vystrcil’s visit isn’t a cause for Chinese concern so much for itself as for what it portends for the future. China warned Vystrcil back in June that any visit to Taiwan would have significant negative consequences for the politician and his nation. While the speaker’s predecessor, Jaroslav Kubera, had promised to visit Taiwan, he died before doing so. Kubera’s trip announcement had also motivated Chinese threats of retaliation.
The failure of those threats matters.
Although the Czech president continues to seek Chinese favor, Vystrcil illustrates a rising current of opinion across his nation Europe. Until recently, China had banked on being able to use its investment leverage and import access to corral European nations into deferring to China by allowing access to firms such as Huawei and bowing to Chinese demands on such topics as Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Whereas Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and most European governments continue to appease China on these terms, the Czech Republic has been more cautious. Chinese technology firms have found new restrictions over the past year, and Vystcil’s visit reflects a new boldness in Prague. China fears that this is just the beginning.
Xi Jinping is slowly realizing that European governments are infuriated by the extraordinary arrogance that defines Chinese diplomacy. Beijing’s deceptions over the coronavirus pandemic, more information about which will ultimately come out, are also sparking European anger. Slowly but surely, these governments are recognizing that China’s pledges of mutually beneficial foreign relations are ultimately only a veil for one-sided transactions and that China does indeed pose a mortal threat to the liberal international order.
In short, China fears that Vystrcil might set a trend here, giving impetus to other European Union member states to advance their own relations with Taiwan, stepping outside Beijing’s not-so-friendly umbrella.
