Vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) visit to Europe in March proceeded smoothly and included transits through Frankfurt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Friday, after the German government reportedly restricted her travel in the country.
Hsiao’s request to travel through the southern part of Germany as a private citizen was denied, said Noah Barkin, a visiting senior fellow in the German Marshall Fund of the US’ Indo-Pacific Program, in an article titled “Watching China in Europe.”
At that time, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was scheduled to visit China, Barkin said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Hsiao was “not even allowed to transit by ground transport” in Germany and “never left Dresden airport” during her visit, European Values Center for Security Policy head Jakub Janda wrote on Thursday on X.
However, MOFA said that Hsiao’s visit to the Czech Republic, Belgium, Poland and Lithuania in March was successful and uneventful, and that transits were made through Frankfurt for convenience, comfort and security.
The ministry expressed its gratitude for the warm welcome and reception extended to Hsiao by the countries during her visit.
MOFA did not clarify whether Hsiao’s itinerary included a trip to Dresden or if she was held up at Dresden Airport as Janda said.
Asked if it was true that Hsiao wanted to visit Germany for personal reasons, but did not get a visa, German Federal Foreign Office spokesperson Christian Wagner said on Friday he was aware of the coverage of Hsiao’s visit to Germany, and as far as he knew, she did travel via Frankfurt.
Taiwanese citizens can travel freely to Germany and there is no entry ban, Wagner said, but added: “According to our one-China policy, the federal government’s approach is to avoid contact with officials associated with [Taiwan] sovereignty.”
He did not confirm if Hsiao had gone to Dresden or whether Janda’s allegation was true.
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