Bc. Jan Lipavský

And this is also what brings countries like Czechia and Taiwan closer together. Despite the distance on the map, Czechia and Taiwan are close in what truly matters — our commitment to democracy, freedom, and resilience. Czechia and Taiwan are already cooperating in areas such as semiconductor research, cyber security and democratic resilience. This is also why forums like the Yushan Forum are so important. They bring together partners who understand that security today is built not only through military alliances, but also through cooperation in technology, industry, innovation, and democratic resilience. Ladies and gentlemen, In the coming years, Vladimir Putin will likely continue probing the strength of NATO. And Xi Jinping will continue increasing pressure on Taiwan — politically, economically and militarily — testing how far democratic nations are willing to go to defend stability in the Indo-Pacific. The question is whether free nations will be ready. Because in a world where toys become weapons overnight, deterrence no longer depends only on armies. It depends on innovation, industrial capacity, resilient supply chains, and above all on political will. In the twenty-first century, distance no longer guarantees security. What happens in Europe will shape the Indo-Pacific. And what happens in the Indo-Pacific will shape Europe. Thank you. (2/2)