Italy Rejects China's Protests and Backs Taiwan's Unrestricted Global Participation

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim traveled to Rome this month at the invitation of the Italian government to deliver a speech titled "Taiwan's International Participation and Regional Security." The trip was originally planned to focus on civilian and academic exchanges, but it drew strong dissatisfaction from Beijing even before her departure. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately stated that it would lodge "serious representations" with the Italian government and the European Union, claiming that Vice President Hsiao's visit violated the "one China" principle and undermined the basic consensus of cross-strait relations. This move demonstrates that when facing international activities by Taiwanese officials, China continues to adopt high-pressure diplomatic tactics in an attempt to suppress Taiwan's international visibility through diplomatic pressure.

Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani responded at a press conference on the same day, emphasizing that Italy had "no contact" or coordination with Beijing regarding the arrangement of this matter. Tajani pointed out that since establishing diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in the 1970s, Italy has consistently followed the "one China" policy, recognizing the Beijing government as the sole legitimate representative. However, he also reiterated Italy's support for the principle of "maintaining the regional status quo," implying that on the sensitive issue of cross-strait relations, Italy is unwilling to lean toward either side and will not restrict the lawful activities of Taiwanese officials in Italy due to Chinese protests. This statement took into account both economic and trade relations with Beijing as well as the widespread support within the European Union for Taiwan's participation in international affairs.

The background of this incident, aside from the long-standing cross-strait political stalemate, also involves subtle changes in Europe's policy toward Taiwan. In recent years, the European Union has repeatedly called in international organizations for Taiwan to retain space for substantive participation, maintaining close cooperation with Taiwan in areas such as trade, technology, and democratic values. As a major EU member state, Italy has extensive economic ties with China in energy and manufacturing, while also maintaining trade and cultural exchanges with Taiwan. Tajani's response reflects Italy's balancing strategy between maintaining economic interests with Beijing and supporting regional stability, showing an unwillingness to alter its established diplomatic stance over a single incident.

For Taiwan, the significance of Vice President Hsiao's trip lies in breaking through the predicament of diplomatic isolation by showcasing Taiwan's contributions and positions on issues such as regional safety and public security to the international community through a public speech by a high-ranking official. Although Chinese protests may cause some European countries to be more cautious in their official engagement with Taiwan, in reality, Taiwan's academic, commercial, and civilian exchanges in Europe continue to deepen. This speech not only raised Taiwan's visibility in Italy but also conveyed a message to other European countries that Taiwan is willing to participate in international affairs in a responsible manner.

Viewed from the perspective of cross-strait relations, China's tough response to the visits of Taiwanese officials shows that it still tolerates no form of "official" interaction at the diplomatic level. Even so, Taiwan's activities on the international stage have not been completely halted; instead, they have gained more media attention due to China's suppression. If Taiwan continues to seek the support of international partners based on practical cooperation and democratic values in the future, it may undermine China's diplomatic isolation tactics to a certain extent. This round of interactions also serves as a reminder to various countries on how to strike a balance between maintaining regional stability and respecting factual realities while adhering to the "one China" policy.

(Source of facts: Central News Agency)