Unlawful CCP Activities Will Not Intimidate Vice President Hsiao, She Declares

Taipei: Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has asserted her resolve against intimidation by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following reports of a planned attack by Chinese agents during her upcoming visit to the Czech Republic in 2024. She made her stance clear on social media, emphasizing her commitment to representing Taiwan's interests internationally. According to Focus Taiwan, Hsiao's statements came after allegations surfaced regarding Chinese agents' plans to ram her car during her visit to Prague. Her visit to the Czech Republic as vice president-elect on March 18 of the previous year included meetings with Czech Senate leadership, notably Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrcil. After the visit, reports indicated that Chinese agents had monitored Hsiao's movements and considered a vehicular collision, although the plan did not progress beyond the initial stages. The Czech Military Intelligence Service later confirmed that they had tracked Chinese intelligence activities targeting individuals un der protection. On Saturday, a social media account managed by U.S. Democratic lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party described the CCP's planned attack on Hsiao as a significant escalation of transnational repression. The incident has been cited as a justification for reintroducing the Taiwan Allies Fund Act. The proposed legislation, introduced in April by U.S. Democratic lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi, seeks to allocate US$120 million over three years. The funds would enable the U.S. executive branch to support Taiwan's diplomatic allies and unofficial partners experiencing CCP pressure. Since assuming office as Taiwan's vice president in May 2024, following the Democratic Progressive Party's historic third-term victory, Hsiao has been labeled a "separatist" by Beijing. In August 2022, she was included on a public list of "Taiwan independence diehards" by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, alongside other Democratic Progressive Party officials targeted for punitive measures by Beijing.