Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim visits Italy for democracy forum

Hsiao Bi-khim Ventotene Conference Taiwan diplomacy European Parliament China-Taiwan relations

Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung are conducting a rare visit to Italy to participate in the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy. The visit was kept secret until Hsiao's arrival to protect her participation from potential backlash or intimidation by Beijing.

Pina Picierno, Vice President of the European Parliament, noted that the decision to keep the trip confidential was a response to threats from China. The conference, held on the island of Ventotene, also features prominent activists including Yulia Navalnaya and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

China has criticized the visit, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stating that Beijing has lodged complaints with Italian and European authorities. China maintains that Taiwan is an inseparable part of its territory and opposes official interactions between Taiwan and other nations.

Entities

European Parliament · Hsiao Bi-khim · Italy · Lin Chia-lung · Pina Picierno · Taiwan · Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 5 SOURCES] Italy does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. haitigazette.com · stvincenttribune.com · hicginewsagency.com · ca.news.yahoo.com · www.economica.net
[● 8 SOURCES] The visit was kept secret until Hsiao's arrival to protect her participation due to potential threats from China. haitigazette.com · stvincenttribune.com · hicginewsagency.com · zhurnal.mk · ca.news.yahoo.com · +3 more
[● 2 SOURCES] China criticized the visit and has lodged complaints with Italian and European authorities. zhurnal.mk · www.cash.ch
[● 4 SOURCES] The Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy includes participants such as Yulia Navalnaya and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. zhurnal.mk · www.cash.ch · www.economica.net · www.n-tv.de
[● 8 SOURCES] Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung are visiting Italy to attend the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy. haitigazette.com · stvincenttribune.com · hicginewsagency.com · zhurnal.mk · ca.news.yahoo.com · +3 more