China defends diplomats after Taiwan VP car ramming claims
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) June 30, 2025

China defended its diplomats on Monday after Taiwan accused Beijing's embassy staff of planning to ram its vice president's car during an official visit to Europe.

"Chinese diplomats overseas always respect their host country's laws and regulations," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said on Friday that Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was surveilled and followed in a ploy to be rammed during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024.

Czech military intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek told AFP on Sunday that Hsiao was targeted by "persons legalised in diplomatic positions at the Chinese Embassy in Prague".

He said they tailed her and sought information about Hsiao's programme and meetings with Czech officials.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island in recent years.

In response to the Czech claims, Beijing insisted on Monday that "Taiwan is a part of China and has no so-called vice president".

"No matter how the DPP authorities try to change things up and seek independence from the outside, and drive a wedge in China's diplomatic relationships, they will not be able to cover up their sinister plot and their attempt will not succeed," Mao said, referring to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Taiwan VP says not intimidated after alleged China plot
Taipei (AFP) June 29, 2025 - Taiwan's vice president said she would not be intimidated by Beijing after the government accused Chinese embassy staff of planning to ram her car during an official visit to Europe.

Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), on Friday said Hsiao Bi-khim's motorcade was surveilled and followed in a ploy to be rammed during a visit to the Czech Republic in March 2024.

Citing a Czech intelligence agency report, the council said staff from the Chinese Embassy in Prague were behind the incident.

Czech military intelligence spokesman Jan Pejsek told AFP on Sunday that Hsiao was targeted by "persons legalised in diplomatic positions at the Chinese Embassy in Prague".

He said they tailed her and sought information about Hsiao's programme and meetings with Czech officials.

"We even recorded attempts by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions for a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which, however, did not go beyond the preparatory stage," Pejsek added.

Hsiao, who was vice president-elect at the time of the trip, posted on social media on Saturday, that she "had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety".

"The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she said.

"Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation," she added.

- 'Violent nature' -

Like most countries, Prague does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and in recent years, has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island. It has also sought to erase Taiwan from the international stage by poaching its diplomatic allies and blocking it from global forums.

Taipei said on Friday that "the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic followed, conducted surveillance on, and even attempted to ram the motorcade, seriously threatening the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage".

It added the incident exposed CCP's "violent nature" and lack of "sincerity" in communication.

A Taiwan security official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said it was a "typical case" of China's "transnational repression" against dissidents or those who criticise China.

"China uses legal grey areas to harass, threaten or oppress their targets," the official said.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), an international group that has challenged Beijing's human rights record, said in a statement signed by 51 lawmakers from nearly 30 countries that it supported Hsiao and "Taiwanese citizens who may be subject to coercion by the Chinese state while travelling abroad".

China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Friday that Prague had violated the "One-China principle" and its political commitments to China by allowing Hsaio, who it called a diehard "Taiwan independence" activist, to visit.

"Chinese diplomats always abide by the laws and regulations of host countries," he said. He urged other countries not to be exploited by "Taiwan independence" separatists to "stir up troubles" and undermine the relations with China.

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