Taiwan, China Diplomats Engage in Physical Clash in Fiji
TAIPEI (Dispatches) -- A physical clash between Taiwan and Chinese officials at a diplomatic reception in Fiji left the rival powers trading allegations of assault Monday.
Taipei accused two Chinese officials of gatecrashing an event at the luxurious Grand Pacific Hotel in the Fijian capital Suva on October 8 and assaulting an employee.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said its trade office -- the equivalent of an embassy -- was hosting a party for 100 distinguished guests to celebrate Taiwan’s National Day.
They claim the two Chinese officials began taking pictures of guests and when asked to leave assaulted an official, putting him in hospital.
The Chinese embassy in Fiji confirmed its officials were in "public area outside the function venue” on "official duties” on the day of the incident. But the Chinese embassy said the Taiwanese mission’s staff "acted provocatively” and caused "injuries and damage to one Chinese diplomat”.
Both sides said they had asked the Fijian police and other island authorities to investigate.
China regards democratic Taiwan as a rebel province and has vowed to one day seize the self-ruled island. The altercation in Fiji comes at a time of high tension between the two sides, which has escalated since the 2016 election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Tsai hails from a party that sees Taiwan as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of "one China”. A senior White House official last week urged her government to build up military capabilities to protect against a possible invasion by China, and the tempo of military activity in the area around Taiwan has increased markedly.
Taiwan’s military depends on U.S. security guarantees, which have been called into question by U.S. President Donald Trump’s "America First” doctrine.
Beijing has successfully poached seven of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies since 2016, leaving only 15 countries in the world that officially recognize the island. Fiji has long been a staunch China ally and was the first Pacific island nation to forge diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1975.
Taipei accused two Chinese officials of gatecrashing an event at the luxurious Grand Pacific Hotel in the Fijian capital Suva on October 8 and assaulting an employee.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said its trade office -- the equivalent of an embassy -- was hosting a party for 100 distinguished guests to celebrate Taiwan’s National Day.
They claim the two Chinese officials began taking pictures of guests and when asked to leave assaulted an official, putting him in hospital.
The Chinese embassy in Fiji confirmed its officials were in "public area outside the function venue” on "official duties” on the day of the incident. But the Chinese embassy said the Taiwanese mission’s staff "acted provocatively” and caused "injuries and damage to one Chinese diplomat”.
Both sides said they had asked the Fijian police and other island authorities to investigate.
China regards democratic Taiwan as a rebel province and has vowed to one day seize the self-ruled island. The altercation in Fiji comes at a time of high tension between the two sides, which has escalated since the 2016 election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Tsai hails from a party that sees Taiwan as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of "one China”. A senior White House official last week urged her government to build up military capabilities to protect against a possible invasion by China, and the tempo of military activity in the area around Taiwan has increased markedly.
Taiwan’s military depends on U.S. security guarantees, which have been called into question by U.S. President Donald Trump’s "America First” doctrine.
Beijing has successfully poached seven of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies since 2016, leaving only 15 countries in the world that officially recognize the island. Fiji has long been a staunch China ally and was the first Pacific island nation to forge diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1975.