Latest news with #HsiaoBiKhim
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
China denies Taiwan VP car-ramming plot, defends diplomats after Prague incident claims
BEIJING, June 30 — China defended its diplomats on Monday after Taiwan accused Beijing's embassy staff of planning to ram its vice president's car during an official visit to Europe. 'Chinese diplomats overseas always respect their host country's laws and regulations,' Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said on Friday that Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was surveilled and followed in a ploy to be rammed during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024. Czech military intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek told AFP on Sunday that Hsiao was targeted by 'persons legalised in diplomatic positions at the Chinese Embassy in Prague'. He said they tailed her and sought information about Hsiao's programme and meetings with Czech officials. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island in recent years. In response to the Czech claims, Beijing insisted on Monday that 'Taiwan is a part of China and has no so-called vice president'. 'No matter how the DPP authorities try to change things up and seek independence from the outside, and drive a wedge in China's diplomatic relationships, they will not be able to cover up their sinister plot and their attempt will not succeed,' Mao said, referring to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party. — AFP
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
China defends diplomats after Taiwan VP car ramming claims
BEIJING: China defended its diplomats on Monday after Taiwan accused Beijing's embassy staff of planning to ram its vice president's car during an official visit to Europe. 'Chinese diplomats overseas always respect their host country's laws and regulations,' Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said on Friday that Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was surveilled and followed in a ploy to be rammed during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024. Czech military intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek told AFP on Sunday that Hsiao was targeted by 'persons legalized in diplomatic positions at the Chinese Embassy in Prague.' He said they tailed her and sought information about Hsiao's program and meetings with Czech officials. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island in recent years. In response to the Czech claims, Beijing insisted on Monday that 'Taiwan is a part of China and has no so-called vice president.' 'No matter how the DPP authorities try to change things up and seek independence from the outside, and drive a wedge in China's diplomatic relationships, they will not be able to cover up their sinister plot and their attempt will not succeed,' Mao said, referring to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taiwan VP says not intimidated after alleged China plot
Taiwan's vice president said she would not be intimidated by Beijing after the government accused Chinese embassy staff of planning to ram her car during an official visit to Europe. Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), on Friday said Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was surveilled and followed in a ploy to be rammed during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024. Citing a Czech intelligence agency report, the council said staff from the Chinese Embassy in Prague were behind the incident. Czech military intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek told AFP on Sunday that Hsiao was targeted by "persons legalised in diplomatic positions at the Chinese Embassy in Prague". He said they tailed her and sought information about Hsiao's programme and meetings with Czech officials. "We even recorded attempts by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions for a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which, however, did not go beyond the preparatory stage," Pejsek added. Hsiao, who was vice president-elect at the time of the trip, posted on social media on Saturday, that she "had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety". "The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she said. "Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation," she added. - 'Violent nature' - Like most countries, Prague does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei. China claims Taiwan as its territory and in recent years, has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island. It has also sought to erase Taiwan from the international stage by poaching its diplomatic allies and blocking it from global forums. Taipei said on Friday that "the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic followed, conducted surveillance on, and even attempted to ram the motorcade, seriously threatening the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage". It added the incident exposed CCP's "violent nature" and lack of "sincerity" in communication. A Taiwan security official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said it was a "typical case" of China's "transnational repression" against dissidents or those who criticise China. "China uses legal grey areas to harass, threaten or oppress their targets," the official said. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), an international group that has challenged Beijing's human rights record, said in a statement signed by 51 lawmakers from nearly 30 countries that it supported Hsiao and "Taiwanese citizens who may be subject to coercion by the Chinese state while travelling abroad". China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Friday that Prague had violated the "One-China principle" and its political commitments to China by allowing Hsaio, who it called a diehard "Taiwan independence" activist, to visit. "Chinese diplomats always abide by the laws and regulations of host countries," he said. He urged other countries not to be exploited by "Taiwan independence" separatists to "stir up troubles" and undermine the relations with China. joy-frj/jza/giv
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Chinese agents plotted ramming attack on Taiwan vice-president in Europe
Chinese agents plotted to ram Taiwan 's vice president's car when she was in the Czech Republic last year, it has been alleged. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council [MAC], which oversees the country's China policy, claimed Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was followed, surveilled and nearly hit by another vehicle during a trip to Prague in March 2024. The 53-year-old, who was then vice president-elect, has an American mother and is a member of the ruling centre-Left Democratic Progressive Party. She vowed that the incident would not stop her from advocating for Taiwan's interests. 'I had a great visit to Prague and thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality and ensuring my safety,' Ms Hsiao said on Saturday. She added: 'The CCP's [Chinese Communist Party] unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community. 'Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation.' Citing a Czech intelligence report, the MAC said China's embassy staff in Prague were behind the alleged ramming attempt. Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following Ms Hsiao's car. Taipei said on Friday that 'the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic followed, conducted surveillance on, and even attempted to ram the motorcade, seriously threatening the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage'. It added that the alleged incident exposed the Chinese Communist Party's 'violent nature' and lack of 'sincerity' during communications with Taiwan. 'Legal grey' A Taiwanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was a 'typical case' of China's 'transnational repression' against dissidents or critics of China. ' China uses legal grey areas to harass, threaten or oppress their targets,' they added. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, an international group that has challenged Beijing's human rights record, spoke out in support of Ms Hsiao. In a statement signed by 51 lawmakers from nearly 30 countries, it expressed its backing for 'Taiwanese citizens who may be subject to coercion by the Chinese state while travelling abroad'. Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, as not formally recognising the country is a requirement for any nation wanting diplomatic relations with Beijing. However, it has strengthened its unofficial ties with the island in the face of mounting Chinese pressure. Beijing's foreign ministry on Friday claimed that the Czech Republic had violated its political commitments to China by allowing Ms Hsiao to visit. Branding her a die-hard 'Taiwan independence' activist, Guo Jiakun, Beijing's ministry spokesman, said Prague had violated the 'one-China principle'. He added: 'Chinese diplomats always abide by the laws and regulations of host countries,' before urging other nations not to undermine relations with Beijing by allowing Taiwanese separatists to 'stir up troubles'. Beijing continues to ramp up military pressure on Taiwan and hold large-scale exercises around the island in what many view as preparations for a blockade or invasion. In May, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, warned that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan 'could be imminent', claiming Beijing was preparing to use military force and upend the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. He called on US allies and partners in Asia to upgrade their defences and said Washington was 'reorienting toward deterring aggression by Communist China'. As part of an ongoing campaign to isolate Taiwan, China has sought to stop the island making inroads on the international stage by courting its diplomatic allies and blocking its global forums. This latest row comes after Mark Rutte, the Nato chief, warned world leaders last week that Russia could help China invade Taiwan and urged them to 'stand ready'. He told a Nato summit press conference in Amsterdam that the 'Chinese will try anything with Taiwan', adding: 'No doubt he will call his junior partner, Mr Putin, and make sure that [he].. will keep [Europe] busy.' The remarks came after Nato members agreed to increase their defence spending target to 5 per cent of GDP, in line with the demands of Donald Trump.
Al Arabiya
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Taiwan VP says not intimated by alleged Chinese embassy plot to ram motorcade in Prague
Taiwan's vice president said she would not be intimidated by Beijing after the government accused Chinese embassy staff of planning to ram her car during an official visit to Europe. Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), on Friday said Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was followed, surveilled and nearly hit by a car during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024. Citing a Czech intelligence agency report, the council said staff from the Chinese Embassy in Prague were behind the incident. 'I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety,' Hsiao, who was vice president-elect at the time of the trip, posted on social media on Saturday. 'The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community.' 'Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation,' she added. Like most countries, Prague does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei. China claims Taiwan as its territory and in recent years, has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island. It has also sought to erase Taiwan from the international stage by poaching its diplomatic allies and blocking it from global forums. Taipei said on Friday that 'the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic followed, conducted surveillance on, and even attempted to ram the motorcade, seriously threatening the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage.' It added the incident exposed CCP's 'violent nature' and lack of 'sincerity' in communication. A Taiwan security official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said it was a 'typical case' of China's 'transnational repression' against dissidents or those who criticize China. 'China uses legal grey areas to harass, threaten or oppress their targets,' the official said. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), an international group that has challenged Beijing's human rights record, said in a statement signed by 51 lawmakers from nearly 30 countries that it supported Hsiao and 'Taiwanese citizens who may be subject to coercion by the Chinese state while travelling abroad.' China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Friday that Prague had violated the 'One-China principle' and its political commitments to China by allowing Hsaio, who it called a diehard 'Taiwan independence' activist, to visit. 'Chinese diplomats always abide by the laws and regulations of host countries,' he said. He urged other countries not to be exploited by 'Taiwan independence' separatists to 'stir up troubles' and undermine the relations with China.
