Beijing lodges protest over Hsiao Bi-khim Italy trip
Bastillepost · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) travelled to Italy accompanied by foreign affairs chief Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to attend a democracy forum, according to reports published on Friday, 11 September. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) said China had already lodged solemn representations with both the Italian side and the European side over the visit. Mao criticised the Democratic Progressive Party authorities and individual politicians for using the banner of democracy and freedom to seek external support for Taiwan independence. She also reiterated that the one-China principle is the political foundation of China’s relations with Italy and with Europe, and urged relevant parties to honour it in practice.
Key Points
- Hsiao Bi-khim travelled to Italy with Lin Chia-lung, described as the head of Taiwan’s foreign affairs department, to attend a democracy forum
- Speaking on Friday, 11 September, Mao Ning said Beijing had made solemn representations to both Italy and the European side.
- Mao referred to Hsiao as a “Taiwan independence” politician and said such efforts to gain attention abroad would ultimately fail
- Beijing said it firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between countries that have diplomatic ties with China and Taiwan.
- Mao said there is only one China, Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, and the one-China principle underpins China-Italy and China-Europe relations.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the episode shows how closely Beijing scrutinises overseas contacts involving senior Taiwan figures and how quickly such engagements can become a diplomatic issue. It also underlines that the one-China principle remains a stated political baseline in China’s dealings with European governments and institutions, shaping the tone of cross-strait-related exchanges in Europe.