|
National security experts are warning that China may repeat its apparent attempt to target Taiwanese political figures abroad, following revelations of a planned harassing incident during former vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim's March 2024 visit to Prague, the Taipei Times reported.
Czech Military Intelligence confirmed that Chinese agents surveilled Hsiao and devised a plan to orchestrate a car collision with her motorcade. The plot, which never progressed beyond the planning stage, involved a Chinese diplomat tailing Hsiao's vehicle and even planning a "demonstrative incident," the agency told Taipei Times. A diplomat allegedly ran a red light, maintaining close surveillance of the Taiwanese delegation. A National Security Bureau official, requesting anonymity, stated that whether the order came from Beijing or local embassy officials, the scheme revealed China's "cross-border repression" tactics, actions that undermine international norms and diplomatic immunity. The official cited prior CCP operations aimed at Hong Kong activists like singer Denise Ho and analyst Lee Cheng-hao, asserting that Beijing is not hesitant to deploy proxies to intimidate critics abroad. Professor Wang Zhin-sheng of Central Police University described the incident as a "stress test" of Czech authorities, designed to deter future visits by Taiwanese leaders. He warned, "China's intelligence agencies are not hesitant to test countries, to gauge the tolerance of the host country." He also cautioned that future threats may target high-profile figures, such as former President Tsai Ing-wen. The public unveiling of a potential attack on Hsiao prompted strong international backlash. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned China's tactic as a serious breach of diplomatic conventions and demanded an official apology. The US House Foreign Affairs Committee described it as "criminality on display" and urged broader global condemnation. Taipei Times stressed that the scheme not only endangered Hsiao's life but also signalled an escalation in China's extraterritorial coercion, a tactic that democratic nations must respond to decisively. With rising threats of this nature, experts affirm that states must take a "zero tolerance" stance to protect Taiwanese and other democracy advocates abroad. (ANI)
|
