Beijing rebukes EU over Taiwan vice-president’s visit to Parliament

Beijing has condemned the European Parliament for allowing Taiwan’s vice-president, Hsiao Bi-khim, to address lawmakers in Brussels last week, calling the move a violation of the “One China” principle.

Hsiao’s visit to the European Parliament was kept confidential and not announced in advance. She spoke on 7 November at the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which this year brought together lawmakers and experts from across the world.

“Despite China’s strong opposition, the European Parliament allowed leading ‘Taiwan independence’ figures to attend the summit and carry out separatist activities,” China’s mission to the EU said in a statement.

The mission said the move “undermines China’s core interests … and seriously erodes political mutual trust,” adding that Beijing had lodged a formal protest with the EU. China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and rejects any steps it sees as supporting independence.

‘Not a universal consensus’

MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP), one of the event’s hosts, rejected the accusation. “I hate to break it to @ChinaEUMission, but the ‘One China principle’ is not a ‘universal consensus’,” she wrote on X.

Lexmann added that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is “a living fact.” The resolution recognises the People’s Republic of China as the representative of China at the UN, but does not address Taiwan’s sovereignty.

“We have every right to build relations with Taiwan, and it was both my honour and privilege as a parliamentarian to host the Vice-President,” she said in her social media post. 

The visit was kept secret due to security concerns. Those concerns were not unfounded: Czech intelligence services reported earlier this year that Chinese agents had discussed plans to force Hsiao’s car off the road during a visit to Prague in March 2024, when she was vice president-elect.

Holding the address inside the European Parliament was also significant. Unlike national legislatures, it is not bound by the diplomatic constraints of EU member states, which do not have formal relations with Taipei, Euractiv understands.

The office of European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was asked to comment on Beijing’s statement but had not responded by the time of publication.

(aw)