In response to the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s criticism of Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) recent trip to Europe to attend the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), the Foreign Ministry reasserted Taiwan’s status as a sovereign and independent nation and emphasized that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to one another.

In an interview with a YahooTV program this Wednesday, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the vice president was invited to Europe to speak at the IPAC annual summit in Brussels. He said that this demonstrates Europe’s growing support for and recognition of Taiwan, stressing that China has no right to interfere. 

Lin noted that while Hsiao’s visit might subject European countries to Chinese pressure, the event reflected a “shared responsibility” among partners. Because IPAC is based in the United Kingdom and the meeting was held at the European Parliament, EU and Belgian approval was needed for Hsiao’s participation. He said this shows how Europe is creating new space for engagement with Taiwan despite possible security concerns.

On Taiwan’s side, Lin said Beijing might react irrationally or impose sanctions, but that a contingency plan is in place for all scenarios. 

The ministry strongly refuted and condemned Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespeople describing Hsiao’s trip and, along with former President Tsai Ing-Wen’s (蔡英文) participation in the Berlin Freedom Conference, as “furtive visits.” They stressed that China’s aggressive suppression of Taiwan not only harms cross-strait relations but also exposes its authoritarian nature to the international community.