TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China is broadening efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally, with recent disputes involving a children’s choir and a coffee competition, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
Taiwan said Beijing has continued using diplomatic and economic pressure to limit the country’s international participation. This includes blocking officials from attending international meetings and restricting President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) overseas travel.
One recent example involved the National Taiwan Hakka Children’s Choir, which withdrew from a global choral symposium in Macau after organizers requested that it perform under a different name. Taiwan’s Hakka Affairs Council said it spent two months negotiating before deciding to pull out to preserve Taiwan’s identity.
Taiwan also protested after organizers of the World Latte Art Championship in San Diego changed the winner’s listed affiliation from “Taiwan” to “Chinese Taipei.” The decision prompted criticism from Taiwan’s coffee community, with former champion Berg Wu (吳則霖) calling Taiwan “an identity and a shared memory.”
Analysts said Beijing has sought to challenge references to Taiwan at international forums, regardless of their size or political significance. Center for a New American Security senior fellow Jacob Stokes said China employs a wide range of non-military tools to advance its position on Taiwan, per The Wall Street Journal.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has long worked to reduce the country’s international presence in line with its “one China principle.” Only 12 countries have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
The pressure has also affected Taiwan’s official diplomacy. In April, several African countries rescinded previously approved overflight permits for Lai’s aircraft ahead of his visit to Eswatini, per the BBC. Kenya revoked visas for a Taiwanese delegation scheduled to attend the Our Ocean Conference in June, per Reuters.
Taiwan said delegates who reached the conference venue were denied entry and returned home. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Beijing of using “gangster-like bullying” to shrink Taiwan’s international space, while China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has accused Taipei of escalating cross-strait tensions.
The issue has also drawn attention in Washington. A joint letter from the US Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce alleged that Chinese diplomats have pressured governments and businesses to discourage engagement with Taiwan, per Reuters.
Observers said Beijing’s efforts have intensified under Lai, whose DPP advocates a distinct Taiwanese identity. National Chung Hsing University professor Tan Wei-en (譚偉恩) said competition over Taiwan’s international space has become increasingly zero-sum, leaving little room for compromise.
