Taiwan’s Vice-President Hsiao Bi-khim has publicly stated that she will not be cowed by intimidation following allegations from Czech military intelligence that Chinese diplomats and secret agents had her under surveillance and planned to physically intimidate her when she visited Prague last year.
Hsiao, who visited the Czech Republic in March 2024, expressed gratitude towards the Czech authorities for their hospitality and protection. She also took to social media to condemn what she refers to as ‘unlawful activities’ by the Chinese Communist Party, insisting that such actions will not deter her from advocating for Taiwan’s interests on the global stage.
Despite lacking official diplomatic ties, Prague has maintained cordial relations with Taiwan, a democratically governed island that China asserts as its territory. This stance by China has been consistently rejected by Taiwan.
Czech Military Intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek highlighted alleged actions by Chinese diplomats in Prague that violated diplomatic norms. These actions included following Vice-President Hsiao, gathering information on her schedule, and attempting to document her meetings with key figures of the Czech political landscape.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, commenting on the matter, denied any wrongdoing by Chinese diplomats, arguing that the Czech Republic had meddled in China’s internal affairs by allowing Hsiao’s visit.
Reports indicate that the Czech Foreign Ministry had previously summoned the Chinese ambassador over the incident. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee labeled the incident as evidence of the Chinese Communist Party’s criminality.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has responded strongly, condemning these actions as a serious threat to Vice President Hsiao’s safety and calling on China to publicly explain and apologize. An unnamed senior Taiwan security official has described the incident as an example of China’s ‘transnational repression’, a matter of growing concern for the European Union.
The evidence suggests a cooling of relations between the Czech Republic and China in recent years, marked by allegations of a cyberattack on the Czech foreign ministry that was traced back to China. Despite this, the Czech Republic has continued to engage in diplomatic visits with Taiwan.
This development follows earlier reports of increased military and political pressure on Taiwan by China. In response, Taiwan asserts that only its people can determine their future and pledges to protect its freedom and democracy.
