China has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with the European Union (EU) after Taiwan’s former representative to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, attended and addressed a meeting of lawmakers in the European Parliament.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Chinese Mission to the EU said Beijing had expressed its “strong indignation and firm opposition” to the incident, describing it as a serious breach of the one-China principle. The protest follows the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) summit held in Brussels on Friday, which the Chinese side labelled an “anti-China organisation.”
The mission criticised the European Parliament for permitting Hsiao and other “Taiwan independence” figures to enter its building and carry out separatist activities, calling the move a severe violation of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It added that such actions undermine China-EU political trust and interfere in Beijing’s internal affairs.
“The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and lies at the core of its national interests, a red line that cannot be crossed,” the statement read. It reaffirmed that the one-China principle is not only a universally recognised international norm but also the foundation of China-EU diplomatic relations.
China urged the EU to cease supporting separatist activities, stop sending “wrong signals” to pro-independence forces, and take concrete steps to repair the damage caused. The mission called on Brussels to respect China’s core interests and safeguard the broader stability of China-EU ties.
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