November 30, 2018
No.311
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu on November 30 conferred the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy upon Marek Benda, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament and Chairman of the Czech Republic-Taiwan Parliamentary Platform （formerly the Czech Republic-Taiwan Friendship Group）, in recognition of his many years of remarkable contributions to strengthening relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Minister Wu thanked Chairman Benda for his longstanding friendship with Taiwan, and affirmed his nearly two decades of work as the Chairman of the Czech Republic-Taiwan Friendship Group, during which Benda has actively promoted bilateral exchanges between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. Thanks to Chairman Benda’s efforts, Taiwan and the Czech Republic have signed cooperative agreements in areas such as youth working holidays, education, science, and avoidance of double taxation, deepening the foundation of the bilateral relationship. Minister Wu said that, with Chairman Benda’s help, Taiwan and the Czech Republic will look to continue building even stronger ties.
Chairman Benda said he was honored to receive the award, and thanked all his friends in Taiwan for their support and assistance. Pointing out that his family has been friendly with Taiwan since his father, Vaclav Benda, entered politics, Chairman Benda emphasized that Taiwan and the Czech Republic have formed a close relationship based on the common values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
Chairman Benda, who currently chairs the Chamber of Deputies Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, has extensive experience in politics, having previously served as Chairman of the Chamber’s Civic Democratic Party （ODS） Caucus, Chairman of the Permanent Commission on Oversight over the work of the Security Information Service, and Vice Chairman of the Mandate and Immunity Committee. Mr. Benda has long been a staunch ally of Taiwan, having voluntarily served as the Chairman of the Czech Republic-Taiwan Parliamentary Platform since he was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1992. （E）