China has called European countries, urging them to refrain from engaging in official exchanges with Taiwan or supporting what it refers to as “independence forces.”
This statement comes ahead of Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu’s scheduled trip to Europe next week.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky confirmed that Wu is expected to visit Prague, but stated that there are no plans to change the existing policy towards Taiwan.
Currently, Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with any European country, with the exception of the Vatican.
China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and strongly opposes any interactions between Taiwanese and foreign officials.
Beijing perceives such contact as a challenge to its stance on Taiwan’s international status and interprets it as support for Taiwan’s separate identity.
