Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Czech, China Locked in Diplomatic Wrangling Over Taiwan Joyce Huang Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš PetÅÃÄekMonday pushed back on his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi's assault over the Czech Senate delegation's visit to Taipei--signs,observers say,thatsuggest the tide is turning against China in Europe. Relations between Prague and Beijing may take another plunge. While visiting inSlovenia,PetÅÃÄektweeted thatWang's comments toward the delegationwere"over the edge," shortly after the Chinese official warned of "a heavy price" forCzech Senate PresidentMilosVystrÄilto pay,now that he has defied China's objection tothevisittoTaiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province. "Minister Wang's statements are over the edge. Such strong words do not belong in the relations between the two sovereign countries," PetÅÃÄek tweeted, calling on China to pursue "factual, practical cooperation without emotions that do not belong in diplomacy." Exchanges ofprotests The Czech foreign minister said he had instructed his deputy to summon China's ambassador in Prague and expressed the Czechministry's "fundamental disagreement" with China's repeated negative words toward the delegation. Although the Czech government doesnotsupport the delegation's visit to Taiwan,PetÅÃÄekadded that he has demanded an explanation from China and anticipated the delegation's tripwould havea negative impact on its relations with China. The Czech government, ledby Czech President MiloÅ¡ Zeman and Prime MinisterAndrej Babis, still favors closer ties to China. But whilemeeting U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo inthe Czech Republic inmid-August, Babis complained that the Chinese havenot invested in the Czech Republic in the way he would imagine they should. Pompeo's warm receptionwasconsidereda warning sign to the once-promising relationship between Prague and Beijing. .