Taiwan VP Hsiao Defies China After Alleged Prague Intimidation Plot

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim declared she will not be intimidated by China following Czech military intelligence reports that Chinese diplomats and secret agents followed her and plotted to intimidate her during a 2024 visit to Prague.

Hsiao visited the Czech Republic in March 2024, despite the country not having formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Czech media previously reported that a Chinese diplomat ran a red light while tailing Hsiao’s vehicle, and new revelations suggest a planned staged car crash was part of a broader intimidation scheme.

Hsiao responded on X, saying she was grateful to Czech authorities for ensuring her safety and emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) actions would not silence her advocacy for Taiwan. In another post, she thanked global lawmakers for opposing violence and coercion, asserting, “Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation.”

Czech Military Intelligence confirmed that Chinese diplomats violated diplomatic norms by tracking Hsiao, attempting to record her meetings, and preparing for a potential "kinetic action" that did not progress past the planning stage. The Czech Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador over the incident.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned China’s actions, demanding an explanation and apology. A senior Taiwanese security official labeled the plot an example of "transnational repression" that is gaining attention in the EU.

China's foreign ministry denied the accusations, warning against allowing Taiwan’s “separatist forces” to exploit the situation. Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory, while Taiwan asserts its democratic autonomy and rejects reunification under Beijing’s terms.

Czech-Taiwan ties have strengthened as Czech-Chinese relations cool, especially following a cyberattack on the Czech foreign ministry, which Prague blames on Beijing.