Overview
- Beijing said it lodged serious protests with the European Parliament over Hsiao Bi-khim's Nov. 7 speech at the Inter‑Parliamentary Alliance on China summit.
- Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said the address was the first by a Taiwanese vice president in the European Parliament and drew a standing ovation from more than 150 international guests.
- An anonymous diplomatic source told CNA the trip was kept highly classified, with Hsiao informed shortly before departure and initially told she would deliver a prerecorded message.
- Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung called the visit a milestone that opens a new chapter in Taiwan–EU relations, crediting recent European outreach for enabling the appearance.
- A spokesperson for China’s EU mission labeled IPAC an anti‑China group and accused the Parliament of permitting separatist activity, reflecting ongoing pressure to limit Taiwan’s international space, including at bodies like the WHO and ICAO.