Published on January 24, 2020. This article introduces Sankei Shimbun reporter Mina Mitsui’s exclusive interview with Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib, explaining how Prague ended its sister-city agreement with Beijing and concluded one with Taipei. Against the background of unrealized Chinese investment and Beijing’s unilateral behavior, it shows how the Czech public’s view of China has changed.

January 24, 2020
It appears that the background includes the fact that the huge investment from China expected by the Czech side did not materialize.
Mr. Hřib says, “The people’s view of China has changed.”
The following is from yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun.
The reporter Mina Mitsui is a true journalist, standing at the opposite pole from female reporters such as a certain Takahashi of the Asahi Shimbun and a certain Mochizuki of the Tokyo Shimbun, and from female NHK employees such as Kuwako.
Prague Ends Sister-City Ties with Beijing: Mayor Says “China Cannot Be Trusted”
Prague, by Mina Mitsui.
Zdeněk Hřib, 38, mayor of Prague, the capital of the Central European country of the Czech Republic, gave an exclusive interview to the Sankei Shimbun on the 21st and revealed the circumstances under which Prague ended its sister-city agreement with Beijing and concluded an agreement with Taipei on the 13th of this month.
“The Chinese side was not a trustworthy partner,” he said, openly expressing distrust toward China.
The agreement between Prague and Beijing was concluded in 2016 and contained a clause stating adherence to the “One China” principle.
The beginning of the confrontation came in January of last year, when Mr. Hřib said, “It is inappropriate to bring politics into a municipal agreement,” and demanded that the clause be removed.
Mr. Hřib emphasized, “In 2016, as an opposition member, I opposed the agreement. Asking Beijing to renegotiate the agreement was a measure taken in response to a resolution by the city council established in 2018.”
Beijing rejected the request for renegotiation.
It stopped replying to inquiries by e-mail and letter, and unilaterally canceled the Prague Symphony Orchestra’s China tour scheduled for last autumn.
Mr. Hřib criticized this as “just like children’s bullying,” and decided to terminate the agreement, saying, “A partnership in which we cannot even talk has no meaning.”
The Czech Republic is a signatory to a memorandum of cooperation with China’s vast economic-zone initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative.
It had continued diplomacy placing importance on China, but when Mr. Hřib consulted the Foreign Ministry about ending relations with Beijing, the reply was that “sister-city relations are a matter for municipal government to decide,” and the ministry did not intervene.
It appears that the background includes the fact that the huge investment from China expected by the Czech side did not materialize.
Mr. Hřib says, “The people’s view of China has changed.”
The conclusion of the agreement with Taipei was triggered by Mr. Hřib’s visit to Taiwan last March and his meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen and others.
Mr. Hřib, who was originally a physician, trained in Taiwan for two months fifteen years ago.
He argued, “Taipei is close to Prague in population size, and the policies it emphasizes, such as housing and the environment, are also the same. Taiwan’s democratic election this month showed that it shares our values.”
After Prague concluded the agreement with Taipei, Shanghai also announced the termination of its cooperative relationship with Prague.
The Chinese side has warned that this will “bring bad effects,” and a decline in Chinese tourists is also expected, but Mr. Hřib is unconcerned, saying, “At present, the problem is that there are too many tourists. A decrease would be good in terms of public safety and hygiene.”
This article continues.