Czech PM Babis criticises Senate leader’s Taiwan trip for damaging China business ties

PRAGUE – The Czech government will not make a government plane available for the Senate chief’s planned trip to Taiwan and wants a more pragmatic foreign policy that does not damage business ties with China, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said. The Czech Republic, like most countries, only formally recognises Beijing and not Taipei, but in recent years has grown closer to Taiwan, a powerhouse in the semiconductor industry, and has seen growing investment from it. Mr Babis’ populist ANO party took power in a coalition government with right-wing and far-right parties in December and has pulled back on some policy…