BEIJING. Lawmakers from at least six countries have reported receiving pressure from Chinese diplomats to refrain from attending a China-focused summit in Taiwan, alleging efforts by Beijing to isolate the self-governed island.
The summit, hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), is set to begin on Monday in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital. The IPAC, which includes hundreds of lawmakers from 35 countries concerned about democratic responses to Beijing, has previously faced pressure from China, including sanctions and cyberattacks. This year’s event, however, marks the first time the summit is held in Taiwan, leading to a coordinated campaign by Chinese officials to dissuade participants.
According to reports, politicians from Bolivia, Colombia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and another unnamed Asian country have received texts, calls, and urgent meeting requests that conflict with their travel plans. Some messages have been described as menacing. For instance, Antonio Miloshoski, a North Macedonian parliament member, received a message from the Chinese Embassy asking, “We heard that you got an invitation from IPAC, will you attend the Conference which will be held next week in Taiwan?”
Sanela Klarić, a Bosnian parliament member, revealed that Chinese diplomats contacted the head of her political party, demanding he prevent her from traveling to Taiwan. Klarić condemned the pressure, stating, “They contacted president of my political party, they ask him to stop me to travel to Taiwan. They’re trying, in my country, to stop me from traveling … This is really not OK.”
China’s Foreign Ministry has not yet commented on the issue. Luke de Pulford, IPAC’s director, denounced the pressure as “gross foreign interference,” questioning, “How would PRC officials feel if we tried to tell them about their travel plans, where they could and could not go?”
Despite the pressure, many lawmakers remain resolute. Bolivian Senator Centa Rek submitted a letter of protest after a Chinese diplomat suggested she avoid the summit, calling the intervention an “unacceptable intrusion.” Miriam Lexmann, a Slovakian member of the European Parliament, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the pressure only strengthened her commitment to attending the summit.
The summit will feature high-level meetings with Taiwanese officials and is expected to be attended by lawmakers from 25 countries. The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment.
This situation follows recent tensions between China and Taiwan, including Beijing’s criticism of Taiwan’s military drills and its ongoing efforts to undermine the island’s international standing by peeling away its diplomatic allies.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
