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BackTaiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrives in Italy to attend the Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom
Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrives in Italy to attend the Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom
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自由时报36 minutes agoPolitics1 min readChinaView original

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrives in Italy to attend the Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom

Xiao MeiqinPiciernoventotene island

Quick Look

  • Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrived on the Italian island of Ventotene to attend the second "Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom." Picienno, deputy president of the European Parliament, announced the visit and stressed that Beijing had no right to interfere in who can participate in democratic debates.
  • Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Office have confirmed the trip.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin was invited to attend the second "Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom" held on the Italian island of Ventotene. This visit was originally not made public, but it was exposed because the Chinese government was accused of being an interventionist.

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Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrived in Italy for a visit. (File photo)

Vice President of the European Parliament Pina Picierno announced that Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin arrived in Italy for a visit and went to Ventotene Island to participate in the second "Ventotene Conference on Democracy and Freedom", emphasizing that Beijing has no right to interfere. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Office have confirmed this diplomatic breakthrough.

Presidential Office Spokesperson Guo Yahui said today that Vice President Xiao Meiqin was invited to attend the second "Ventotene European Forum for Freedom and Democracy" and was accompanied by Foreign Minister Lin Jialong.

Please read on...

According to videos in Italian media and social networks, Picierno said at the meeting, "I am very happy to announce that Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Meiqin has just arrived on Ventotene Island. We are very honored to invite her to our 'Freedom and Democracy Conference.'" Thunderous applause broke out at the scene.

Picierno said that Vice President Xiao's itinerary for attending the meeting was not announced in advance mainly because there was an intervenor - the "Chinese government".

She then emphasized, "I want to make it very clear: no one, including China, can decide who can or cannot speak here. Ventotene is a place that symbolizes freedom, struggle and democracy. We are very proud to listen to the voices of those who resist the pressure of authoritarian threats every day and defend their own freedoms and democracies."

"This is a simple and clear message: Intimidation does not determine who participates in our democratic debate," Picierno wrote on Facebook. Free speech cannot be negotiated with authoritarian regimes. Ventotene, now more than ever, needs to continue to be a place where freedom and democracy can be defended without fear.

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What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • The Chinese government will lodge a protest with Italy or the European Parliament through diplomatic channels

    Likely · Within days

Open Questions

  • How will the Chinese government respond to this incident?
  • What specifically did the Vice President of Taiwan deliver during the meeting?
  • What is the official position of the Italian government on this matter?

Related Topics

Xiao Meiqin
PeoplePiciernoLin JialongGuo Yahui
Organizationsgovernment of the republic of chinaeuropean parliamentMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of ChinaPresidential Palace of the Republic of China
Placesventotene islandItaly
TopicsPiciernoventotene islandconference on democracy and freedomChinese governmentTaiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairspresidential palace
This article was originally published by 自由时报.

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