Beijing lodges diplomatic protests over Taiwan official’s visit to Italy
Beijing has strongly condemned a visit to Italy by senior Taiwanese officials and lodged formal diplomatic protests with both Rome and Brussels. Criticising the visit on Friday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing had submitted “serious representations against Italy and the European Union” following reports that Taiwan’s No 2 official, Hsiao Bi-khim, had arrived in Italy to attend…
China's Foreign Ministry expressed strong disapproval on Friday after Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung visited Italy to attend a democracy summit. The Chinese officials lodged solemn representations with both Italy and the EU, citing their firm opposition to official interactions with Taiwan by countries with ties to China.
Taiwan's government has not called for formal independence, but China maintains its territorial claim and has threatened military action. The visit aimed to send a message of democratic support for Taiwan, a stance Beijing sees as separatist. Other notable pro-democracy figures, including Russian opposition leader Navalny and Belarusian activist Tsikhanouskaya, were also present.
The EU faces a delicate balance between supporting Taiwan's democratic aspirations and maintaining relations with China, particularly in light of Beijing's backing of Russia in its Ukrainian conflict.
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