Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) is making a rare visit to Europe, attending a forum on democracy in Italy along with Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), the Presidential Office said today.
While Taiwan's foreign ministers on occasion visit Europe and other parts of the world that have no formal ties with the nation, it is rare for an official as senior as the vice president to do so, given the risk of a backlash from Beijing against the host nation.
China claims Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to annex it.
Photo: CNA
Hsiao has been invited to attend the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy, and is traveling with Lin, the Presidential Office said in a brief statement.
Other details would be provided once she returns to Taiwan, it added.
Neither China nor Italy's foreign ministries immediately responded to requests for comment.
The Ventotene conference began yesterday and ends tomorrow.
At 2:51am Taiwan time, European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno said on Facebook that Hsiao was attending the conference.
Hsiao’s presence had been kept secret until her arrival to protect her participation, Picierno said.
Italy, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
In November last year, Hsiao spoke at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China's annual summit at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Taiwan has sought closer ties with Europe, especially since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Europe has its own disputes with China, over trade imbalances and its criticism of what it sees as Chinese support for Russia.
Hsiao has previously been sanctioned by China for being an "independence diehard."
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