China Objects to Taiwan Vice President’s Attendance at Conference in Italy

[Financial News] Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Mei-chin visited Italy to attend an international democracy forum.
China protested the visit by a senior Taiwan official to Italy, a country with which it has diplomatic relations, while Italy’s Foreign Ministry said, “We will not hold talks with senior officials.”
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency and Rti Radio on the 11th, the Office of the President said that Vice President Hsiao had been invited to and attended the second Ventotene European Forum for Freedom and Democracy, accompanied by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung.
Kuo Ya-hui, a spokesperson for the Office of the President, explained that Vice President Hsiao visited Italy to attend the forum and that details of her schedule would be disclosed after she returned home.
Italy’s ANSA reported that Pina Picierno, a vice president of the European Parliament, disclosed Hsiao’s arrival at the forum held on Ventotene Island.


On the 10th, Vice President Picierno said, “Vice President Hsiao has arrived on Ventotene Island,” adding, “I am deeply honored to be able to invite her to the Forum for Freedom and Democracy.”
Vice President Picierno explained that concerns had been raised about possible intervention by the Chinese government because Hsiao’s attendance schedule had not been disclosed in advance.
She stressed, “No one, including China, can decide who may or may not speak here.” She continued, “Ventotene Island symbolizes freedom, resistance and democracy,” and also wrote on Facebook that “freedom of expression is not something that can be negotiated with authoritarian regimes,” Rti Radio reported.
ANSA also reported that the schedule of the Taiwan delegation had been kept confidential in advance to avoid Chinese intervention. The Ventotene European Forum for Freedom and Democracy was founded by Vice President Picierno in 2025.
Dissidents, civil society activists and leaders from various sectors across Europe and around the world attend the forum to discuss ways to defend democracy and freedom against authoritarianism.
This year’s forum is being held from September 10 to 12. Among those attending is Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine and a recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.


Vice President Hsiao’s visit to Europe is her second in about a year.
In November last year, Vice President Hsiao became the first Taiwan vice president to visit the European Parliament, where she delivered a keynote speech at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).
IPAC was established in 2020 to counter China. It is a parliamentary alliance of the free world, with lawmakers from 31 countries and about 300 members.
At a regular briefing that day, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “China lodged a serious protest with Italy and European authorities over a Taiwan independence politician’s attendance at a related conference in Italy.”
Mao Ning said, “The Democratic Progressive Party authorities and certain politicians are using every possible means to attract attention in various places and are seeking Taiwan independence by invoking democracy and freedom while relying on external forces,” adding, “Such behavior is contemptible and will ultimately prove futile.”


[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Specialist Reporter