On Wednesday, 8 October from 18:00 to 20:00, the Taipei Representative Office in the Czech Republic held a reception at the Hilton Hotel in Prague to mark Taiwan’s National Day. While officially presented as a cultural and diplomatic celebration, the event primarily underscored Taiwan’s limited international standing.

Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic relations with only a small number of countries worldwide. As a result, no official diplomatic representatives of states with embassies in Prague attended the reception, with the single exception of His Excellency Archbishop Jude Tadeusz Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio (Ambassador of the Vatican). The Vatican is currently the only state in Europe that recognizes Taiwan diplomatically.

The ceremony also included messages directed to Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, and Markéta Pekarová Adamová, President of the Chamber of Deputies. Neither of them attended the event in person, reflecting the cautious approach of the Czech government, which, like most countries, upholds the One-China policy recognizing the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China, including Taiwan.

Taiwan’s international status remains defined by its diplomatic isolation. Most states, including the Czech Republic and all EU member states, prioritize their relations with Beijing over Taipei. Beijing regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China and opposes any moves that could be interpreted as formal recognition of the island as a sovereign state.

After the brief official part, the event continued with a reception that had limited diplomatic significance. The modest scale of international participation once again reflected Taiwan’s marginal position in the global diplomatic landscape, particularly in Europe, where Beijing’s influence and economic weight remain decisive factors shaping policy.