Zdeněk Hřib: the Czech mayor who defied China

theguardian.com

27 pointsmetaphysics3 comments

It is important to say that Taiwanese investment in the Czech Republic is significantly higher than Chinese. That was basically the major argument his side has used.

> Hřib’s rise from obscurity is striking because Czech mayors, unlike their US and Polish counterparts, are not directly elected.

Actually it's not striking at all from this very reason - it's the norm due to indirect election. Not a single Prague major in the past 20 years was a well known figure before they were elected.

isn’t it mainly because of Foxconn which is slightly pro-PRC nowadays? but I don’t know the data, just assuming, honestly

(Foxconn has large factories in Czech and is Czech’s 2nd biggest exporter, after Skoda cars owned by german Volkswagen)

Yes, I've visited the factories numerous times. You're probably right, but I don't think their leaning to the PRC has any influence whatsoever. They have zero influence compared to Skoda, which is still seen as "the" national company (and has 15 times more employees, which is crucial for their influence).

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