05 April 2008
China cancels official Czech visit in Tibet flag row
(AFP) Beijing cancelled a visit by Czech education officials because Prague's government ministry raised a Tibetan flag in one of its windows, Chinese authorities said. "The displaying of the so-called Tibetan flag signifies direct support for the independence of Tibet", said the statement from the Chinese education ministry, released by China's embassy in Prague. "We cannot accept it and that is why we have cancelled this visit". The delegation to Beijing was to have been led by a vice-minister and included the heads of three top colleges, with the aim of signing a cooperation agreement including a bilateral student exchange programme. Reacting to the Chinese announcement, Czech education minister Ondrej Liska cited the issue of human rights in China. "China's reaction is evidence that our criticism regarding human rights has not gone unnoticed", Liska said. He added that he was sure the bilateral agreement would eventually be signed. "It is also in China's interest".