Photo: Olimpia Kot
On October 31, 2025, EVC Taiwan Office hosted a working luncheon featuring a presentation by Dr. Jan Švec, Researcher at the Institute of International Relations, Prague, and Visiting Fellow at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. An expert on politics of authoritarianism, technological governance, and human rights, Dr. Švec delivered a talk titled, “From Concealment to Partial Acknowledgment to Tactical Policy Shifts: China’s Response to International Pressure Regarding Xinjiang (East Turkestan) Re-education Camps.”
In his presentation, Dr. Švec explained how China responded to international pressure over the mass detention of Uyghurs in re-education camps in East Turkestan (Xinjiang). His analysis of Chinese official documents and media articles revealed that international pressure has influenced both China’s narrative and its policies. The authorities first paid little attention to controlling the narrative; later, they denied the camps’ existence; then they admitted and justified them; after that, they sought to downsize and reframe the policy; and finally, they moved to partially abandon the practice. Consequently, Dr. Švec’s study effectively contributes to an understanding of how an authoritarian regime responds to international pressure regarding its domestic political repression.
The Czech Hub in Taiwan serves as a platform connecting Central European experts with their Taiwanese counterparts. Hosting visiting scholars, such as Dr. Jan Švec, is a core component of our mandate, as we seek to foster intersectoral, multi-stakeholder cooperation between the Czech Republic, broader Central Europe, and Taiwan.