Toast Speech by President Tony Tan at the State Lunch hosted by Czech President Milos Zeman

Your Excellency Miloš Zeman 
President of the Czech Republic

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is an honour to be in the beautiful city of Prague.  I would like to express my appreciation for the gracious reception and thoughtful arrangements made for me, my wife and the Singapore delegation.  

Singapore and the Czech Republic established diplomatic relations in February 1993, a month after the Czech Republic achieved independence.  Despite the distance that separates us, our two countries are natural friends for many reasons.  As relatively young and small nations, both Singapore and the Czech Republic share common interests and face similar challenges.  Both countries are gateways to our respective regions – Singapore is a key node in the Association of South East Asian Nations (or ASEAN), and the Czech Republic is a hub in Central and Eastern Europe.  It is therefore no surprise that both our countries believe strongly on the need for us to remain open, build bridges, and make friends.

Singapore and the Czech Republic enjoy warm and friendly relations.  Then-President Ong Teng Cheong made a State Visit to the Czech Republic in 1998, almost 20 years ago, and then-President Václav Klaus made a State Visit to Singapore in 2006.  However, our ties go back even further.  80 years ago, Mr Tomas Bata, the “Shoe King”, traversed thousands of miles from Zlin to establish the Bata Shoe Company in Singapore.  Over the years, Singaporeans have come to know and love the Bata brand.  Any Singaporean on the street will be able to recite Bata’s famous slogan “first to Bata, then to school.”  Many Singaporeans even think that Bata is a Singapore company!  Today, Singapore is home to Bata Asia Pacific and Africa, which manages 3,000 outlets in the region.

The economic cooperation between Singapore and the Czech Republic has been growing.  Over the last ten years, bilateral trade has tripled.  Singapore businesses are investing in the Czech Republic, and Czech companies are similarly making a presence, with 47 of them in Singapore currently.  Earlier, President Zeman and I witnessed the signing of two MOUs between the economic agencies of our two countries, which will deepen economic cooperation.  Later this afternoon, our business delegations will meet at the Business Forum organised in conjunction with my State Visit.  Together with the EU-Singapore FTA (EUSFTA), these are key enablers to business collaborations.  

I hope that more companies will embody the entrepreneurial spirit of Mr Bata, and explore opportunities in the respective markets of our two countries.

The ties between Singapore and the Czech Republic are multifaceted.  I am happy to see the burgeoning ties between the universities and research institutions of our two countries.  Earlier today, we witnessed an MOU signed between the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Charles University which will boost exchanges between the two universities.  For small countries like Singapore and the Czech Republic, where human capital is a key resource, nurturing human talent is vital to our survival.  
  
I am also heartened to see the flourishing cultural exchanges between our two countries.  The Czech Republic has a vibrant arts scene.  The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) had the privilege of performing at the Prague Spring International Music Festival last year.  In 2004, Singaporeans also enjoyed a performance by the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in Singapore.  Such performances showcase a snippet of our cultures and are opportunities for our artists to interact and hone their skills.  

Underpinning the strong relations between Singapore and the Czech Republic are close people-to-people links.  Many Singaporean students travel to the Czech Republic for exchange programmes.  Likewise, Czech students come to Singapore.  Last year, Singapore received over 10,000 Czech tourists.  Similarly, Prague is a popular tourist destination for Singaporeans.  Recently, enterprising Czech bartenders have brought unique Czech beverages to Singapore.  We can now find Pilsner Urquell, Becherovka, and Moravian red wines readily in Singapore.  Hopefully in the near future, we can also find Singapore cuisine in Prague!

Distinguished Guests

As we celebrate 25 years of Singapore-Czech diplomatic relations next year, we should strive to take our friendship to greater heights.  I hope that Singapore and the Czech Republic will continue to seek opportunities to strengthen our bilateral relations, for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples.  I look forward to welcoming President Zeman to Singapore and to reciprocate his hospitality. 

May I now propose a toast:
•    To the good health and success of President Zeman and Mrs Zemanová;
•    To the peace and prosperity of the people of the Czech Republic; and
•    To the enduring friendship between the Czech Republic and Singapore.
Dĕkuji 

Thank you.