By Li Hisen-chih | 2025-11-21

Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim made an unexpected appearance at the European Parliament in Brussels on November 7, where she delivered a keynote speech at the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).

The speech, kept strictly confidential before the event, was described by IPAC as a "breakthrough address." It marks "the first-ever speech" by a senior Taiwanese government official in a foreign parliament, drawing global attention.

In her speech, Hsiao stressed that "peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global stability and economic continuity, and international opposition against unilateral changes to the status quo by force cannot be overstated."

Hsiao called for collective efforts to uphold regional stability, underscoring Taiwan's key role in securing global trade and technological innovation. She also urged the international community to strengthen cooperation and support for Taiwan, in light of the current geopolitical challenges.

IPAC consists of more than 290 cross-party parliamentary members from over 40 national legislatures and the European Parliament, working to scrutinize and reform their respective nations' China policies.

Although Hsiao's speech was not an official address to the European Parliament, IPAC co-founder Luke de Pulford told Taiwan's Central News Agency that the Parliament President, EEAS, and Belgian officials had been informed in advance.

About 50 lawmakers from two dozen countries attended the event, which was kept secret due to security concerns following reports that Chinese agents had plotted to ram Hsiao's car during her March 2024 visit to the Czech Republic.

Czech military intelligence service later confirmed Chinese agents had followed Hsiao to intimidate her. Pavel Fischer, chair of the Czech Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, bluntly called it an entirely unacceptable "act of state terrorism."

As expected, Taiwan's diplomatic breakthrough faced strong criticism from China. The Chinese Mission to the European Union condemned the European Parliament for allowing Hsiao and other Taiwan independence figures to engage in "separatist activities," despite China's objections. China also made formal representations to the European side.

Chinese threats

The event also highlighted the significant shift in Europe's attitude toward Taiwan in recent years. Lin Ting-hui, a former assistant researcher at Taiwan's National Security Council, told Focus: "One crucial turning point is the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia has support from China, which has reshaped European perceptions of China."

He added that Chinese diplomats' repeated threats and interference in host countries have led more Europeans to sympathize with Taiwan.

Stefano Pelaggi, professor at University of Rome La Sapienza, told the Central News Agency that Hsiao's presence at the European Parliament was "certainly a major event worth commemorating." He added, "The timing of this visit is very delicate, as right now, Taiwan most needs international support while facing conflict."

George Yin, senior research fellow at the Center for China Studies, National Taiwan University, noted that Many European countries rely on the Chinese market and tend to be more conservative towards Taiwan.

"Taiwan's ability to achieve a breakthrough under these circumstances deserves more encouragement and support from all sides." He also commented on the significant influence of IPAC, and that Taiwan's relations with Europe have continually strengthened in recent years.

Ben Bland of Chatham House wrote in an analysis in October that, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, the EU and Taiwan could deepen relations to counter the growing US-China rivalry, according to The Guardian.

He noted Taiwan's critical role in global semiconductor and electronics supply chains. He added that European nations could help bolster Taiwan's global connections and share resilience strategies despite Beijing's pressure.

Founded in 2020, IPAC has become a thorn in China's side. In 2024, it held its first summit in Taipei, passing a resolution that UNGA Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor establishes Chinese sovereignty over it. The resolution also condemned China's distortion of the document to support the "One China Principle" and its alteration of historical records.