TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Countries should continue showing that Taiwan is welcome internationally despite pressure from Beijing, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Founder and Executive Director Luke de Pulford, CNA reported Friday.
The Presidential Office said Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) was invited to attend an international conference on Italy’s Ventotene Island and was accompanied by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), per Reuters.
De Pulford said Beijing’s efforts to limit Taipei’s international space should be met by continued engagement. He said allowing a democracy to be pressured and excluded internationally is wrong and does not serve individual countries’ interests.
Hsiao’s visit was kept confidential beforehand because of concerns about Beijing’s reaction, according to European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno. Picierno, who founded the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy last year, welcomed Hsiao on the island and said no one, including China, can decide who can speak at the event.
The conference brings together advocates from around the world to discuss defending freedom and democracy and resisting authoritarianism, per CNA. Hsiao also attended IPAC’s annual summit at the European Parliament in Brussels in November, where she delivered a speech during a rare visit to Europe by a senior serving Taiwanese government official.
IPAC connects more than 300 lawmakers across 45 national and regional legislatures, including the European Parliament, and takes a tough stance toward Beijing.
