China lodges protest with EU parliament over Taiwan event

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Monday said it lodged a protest with the EU parliament over an event addressed by officials from the island, state media reported.

Beijing has “lodged solemn representations with the European Parliament regarding the ‘Taiwan independent’ separatist politicians engaging in activities there,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.

He added that the European side stated that the European Parliament’s “adherence to the one-China principle has not and will not change.”

Beijing’s statement came after Taiwanese officials, including Hsiao Bi-khim, number two in the administration led by William Lai Ching-te, as well as top diplomat Lin Chia-lung, attended an unannounced event hosted by “Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China” last week in Brussels.

It was the first such high-level representation by Taiwan addressing an event at the parliament.

“The meeting and the individuals concerned were not invited by the European Parliament, the leadership of the Parliament had no contact with them, and the individual actions of a few lawmakers do not represent the official position of the European Parliament,” Lin noted.

He said the “so-called Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China is funded by several anti-China organizations and has long maliciously hyped China-related issues.”

The ministry spokesman called on the European Parliament to “see through the truth, distinguish right from wrong, firmly adhere to the one-China principle, refrain from sending any wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ secession forces, and avoid being exploited.”