Chinese agents plotted to ram Taiwan鈥檚 vice president鈥檚 car when she was in the Czech Republic last year, it has been alleged.
Taiwan鈥檚 Mainland Affairs Council [MAC], which oversees the country鈥檚 China policy, claimed Hsiao Bi-khim鈥檚 motorcade was followed, surveilled and nearly hit by another vehicle during a trip to Prague in March 2024.
The 53-year-old, who was then vice president-elect, has an American mother and is a member of the ruling centre-Left Democratic Progressive Party.
She vowed that the incident would not stop her from advocating for Taiwan鈥檚 interests.
鈥淚 had a great visit to Prague and thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality and ensuring my safety,鈥 Ms Hsiao said on Saturday.
She added: 鈥淭he CCP鈥檚 [Chinese Communist Party] unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan鈥檚 interests in the international community.
鈥淭aiwan will not be isolated by intimidation.鈥
Citing a Czech intelligence report, the MAC said China鈥檚 embassy staff in Prague were behind the alleged ramming attempt.
Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following Ms Hsiao鈥檚 car.
Taipei said on Friday that 鈥渢he Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic followed, conducted surveillance on, and even attempted to ram the motorcade, seriously threatening the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage鈥.
It added that the alleged incident exposed the Chinese Communist Party鈥檚 鈥渧iolent nature鈥 and lack of 鈥渟incerity鈥 during communications with Taiwan.
鈥楲egal grey鈥
A Taiwanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was a 鈥渢ypical case鈥 of China鈥檚 鈥渢ransnational repression鈥 against dissidents or critics of China.
鈥淐hina uses legal grey areas to harass, threaten or oppress their targets,鈥 they added.
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, an international group that has challenged Beijing鈥檚 human rights record, spoke out in support of Ms Hsiao.
In a statement signed by 51 lawmakers from nearly 30 countries, it expressed its backing for 鈥淭aiwanese citizens who may be subject to coercion by the Chinese state while travelling abroad鈥.
Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, as not formally recognising the country is a requirement for any nation wanting diplomatic relations with Beijing.
However, it has strengthened its unofficial ties with the island in the face of mounting Chinese pressure.
Beijing鈥檚 foreign ministry on Friday claimed that the Czech Republic had violated its political commitments to China by allowing Ms Hsiao to visit.
Branding her a die-hard 鈥淭aiwan independence鈥 activist, Guo Jiakun, Beijing鈥檚 ministry spokesman, said Prague had violated the 鈥渙ne-China principle鈥.
He added: 鈥淐hinese diplomats always abide by the laws and regulations of host countries,鈥 before urging other nations not to undermine relations with Beijing by allowing Taiwanese separatists to 鈥渟tir up troubles鈥.
Beijing continues to ramp up military pressure on Taiwan and hold large-scale exercises around the island in what many view as preparations for a blockade or invasion.
In May, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, warned that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan 鈥渃ould be imminent鈥, claiming Beijing was preparing to use military force and upend the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
He called on US allies and partners in Asia to upgrade their defences and said Washington was 鈥渞eorienting toward deterring aggression by Communist China鈥.
As part of an ongoing campaign to isolate Taiwan, China has sought to stop the island making inroads on the international stage by courting its diplomatic allies and blocking its global forums.
This latest row comes after Mark Rutte, the Nato chief, warned world leaders last week that Russia could help China invade Taiwan and urged them to 鈥渟tand ready鈥.
He told a Nato summit press conference in Amsterdam that the 鈥淐hinese will try anything with Taiwan鈥, adding: 鈥淣o doubt he will call his junior partner, Mr Putin, and make sure that [he].. will keep [Europe] busy.鈥
The remarks came after Nato members agreed to increase their defence spending target to 5 per cent of GDP, in line with the demands of Donald Trump.