Vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) made a low-key visit to Europe recently, with her busy schedule not made public until photos were posted on the social media accounts of the European politicians she met with.
The news was first disclosed by the Wall Street Journal when Hsiao had already arrived in the US to “handle private matters in her personal capacity” in Washington. No information was leaked before the trip.
In response to the news, the US Department of State cited Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) attendance at the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2020 before taking office, emphasizing that there is precedent for Taiwan’s vice president-elect to visit the US before taking office.
However, although the State Department spokesperson declined to answer whether Hsiao would meet with any US official, it was suggested that she would meet with senior officials in US President Joe Biden’s administration.
Lai visited the National Security Council in the White House four years ago, the highest-level visit to the council since Taiwan and the US severed diplomatic relations in 1979. However, whether Lai met then-White House national security advisor Robert O’Brien remains a secret, undisclosed by both sides.
A much-talked-about photograph of Lai and Hsiao posted on social media during their presidential campaign was taken in front of the Lincoln Memorial when Lai visited the US. The trip also planted the seeds of their potential joint ticket in the presidential race.
The Wall Street Journal also said that Hsiao would visit several European capitals following her trip to Washington, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remained silent, saying only “no comment.”
It was only as Hsiao returned to Taiwan that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally confirmed that she had traveled to Prague, Warsaw and Vilnius. In addition to being invited to give speeches at think tanks, she also met with Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil, Czech Chamber of Deputies Deputy Speaker Jan Bartosek, Lithuanian Seimas Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen and Polish Senate Deputy Marshal Michal Kaminski.
She also met with other political leaders such as the parliaments’ foreign affairs committee chairs of the Baltic states — Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Hsiao also visited the European Parliament in Brussels and met with Member of the European Parliament Othmar Karas and more than 30 other members of the parliament.
This is the first time that Taiwan’s vice president-elect visited Europe before taking office.
The Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania all donated vaccines to Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers of the Czech and Lithuanian parliaments also visited Taiwan.
Moreover, direct flights from Taipei to Prague were launched in July last year.
Hsiao’s trip is the result of the “circle of good” between Taiwan and Central and Eastern Europe over the past few years, with Taiwan deepening ties.
With a presidential election next month, Lithuania’s presidential candidates from the governing and opposition parties attended Hsiao’s working breakfast, which shows that Lithuania’s strong support for Taiwan is shared across different party affiliations, and their exchanges with Taiwan would likely continue even if there is a change in government.
Hsiao adheres to the consistent position of not being provocative or aggressive, and seeks to expands the space for Taiwan’s pragmatic diplomacy, step by step. This is the best proof that Lai’s new government would firmly continue President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) prudent direction of national security.
Chen Yung-chang is a company manager.
Translated by Lin Lee-kai
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