Was the Ban on Taiwanese Politicians and Officials Entry a Result of Chinese Pressure?

The Guardian: "China Pressures European Embassies"

The Chinese government is reportedly pressuring European countries to ban the entry of Taiwanese politicians and officials.

On the 13th, the British daily The Guardian reported, citing multiple European diplomats and government officials, that China made such demands to European governments either through the embassies of European countries in Beijing or via Chinese embassies in Europe.

In June last year, Lai Ching-te, Vice President of Taiwan, was interviewed by Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Photo by Taiwan Presidential Office.

According to the report, between November and December last year, China conveyed its position to European countries through diplomatic notes and in-person meetings, stating that "European countries or European Union (EU) institutions should make a political decision to ban the entry of Taiwan's so-called president, vice president, and former officials."

China also insisted that "European countries should not recognize so-called diplomatic passports issued by Taiwan, and should prevent Taiwanese officials from crossing China's 'red line' through official contacts or meetings in Europe."

The Guardian pointed out that this appears to be a response to Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim attending and delivering speeches at the Security Forum held in Warsaw, Poland in September last year and the unofficial meeting hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium in November, respectively.

It was reported that the diplomatic notes China delivered to the European side included statements such as, "While we respect Europe's sovereignty over its visa policy, institutional loopholes have allowed frequent visits by Taiwanese politicians." China specifically took issue with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim making separatist remarks advocating "Taiwan independence" at the European Parliament building.

China also mentioned countries visited by Taiwanese officials, such as Belgium, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, and Italy, claiming that these visits "seriously undermine China-EU relations."

Furthermore, The Guardian reported that China cited the Schengen Borders Code article stipulating that "the entry of nationals from non-EU countries must not threaten the international relations of member states," arguing that the entry of Taiwanese government officials should be banned because it threatens relations with China.

China also suggested that European countries should follow the United Nations' example of prohibiting the attendance of Taiwanese government officials, and referenced the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, among other diplomatic agreements.

In response, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Guardian, "Visits to Europe by Taiwanese officials are unrelated to China," adding, "China has no right to interfere in this matter."