Taiwan's vice president on rare Europe visit which China calls 'despicable'
Beijing protested the unannounced trip after Hsiao and Foreign Minister Lin joined the conference on democratic resistance, organizers and Taiwan officials said.
- Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim arrived in Italy this week to attend the Second Ventotene European Conference for Freedom and Democracy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Friday, accompanied by Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung.
- Beijing opposes such high-level diplomatic engagement, claiming the democratically governed island as its own territory; this rare visit occurs despite potential backlash, as Italy lacks formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
- European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno confirmed Hsiao's arrival late Thursday, stating, "No one can dictate who may be hosted on European soil," to defend democratic dialogue from intimidation.
- Organizers maintained strict confidentiality regarding the trip until Hsiao's arrival to safeguard her participation; the Presidential Office will provide further details once the delegation returns to Taiwan.
- This visit follows Hsiao's trip to Brussels last November for an Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China summit, as Taiwan increasingly seeks closer European ties since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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China lodged an official protest with Italy and the European Union regarding a visit by politicians supporting the so-called "independence of Taiwan" to Rome, demanding respect for the principle of "one China."
Taiwan's vice president, Hsiao Bi Khim, has traveled this Friday to Italy to participate in...
From Taiwan to Ventotene, Vice-President Hsiao Bi-Khim's Surprise Trip Is a Case. Beijing: "Deplore"
From Beijing there would have been formal demonstrations against Italy and the European Union.
The arrival of Vice-President Hsiao Bi-khim at the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy, organized in secret, unleashes the immediate reaction of Beijing that presents formal complaints. Pina Picierno said: "We are proud, the European institutions do not make themselves dictated by Beijing or Moscow."
Taiwan's vice president on rare Europe visit which China calls 'despicable'
Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim is making a rare visit to Europe, attending a forum on democracy in Italy along with Taipei's foreign minister, the presidential office said on Friday, as China condemned such overseas trips as "despicable".
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