China has significantly intensified a diplomatic pressure campaign targeting European politicians in a bid to isolate Taiwan from international support, new reports reveal.
A Landmark Speech Triggers Beijing's Response
The concerted effort appears to have been galvanised by a historic address from Taiwan's Vice President, Hsiao Bi-khim, at a summit in Brussels last November. The event, held within the European Parliament building and organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), marked the first time a senior Taiwanese government figure had spoken in a foreign parliament.
Bi-khim used the platform to urge European MPs to strengthen trade and security links with Taiwan. Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island, reacted swiftly, accusing the lawmakers of hosting "Taiwan independence" figures for "separatist activities".
The Diplomatic Onslaught Across Europe
According to IPAC, a global cross-party group of legislators, Chinese ambassadors in several European nations have since been requesting meetings with local lawmakers. In these discussions, the diplomats have explicitly urged politicians not to host Taiwanese officials or meet with them during visits to Taiwan.
Luke de Pulford, an IPAC co-founder, told The Independent that Chinese ambassadors have been singularly focused on this issue. "All the ambassador wanted to talk about was that they were free to visit Taiwan Island if they wanted, but they should not meet with senior politicians while they were there," he stated, indicating a coordinated message from Beijing to its overseas missions.
Simultaneously, Chinese officials began presenting European governments with so-called "legal advice". They argued that allowing Taiwanese politicians entry could violate the Schengen Borders Code, which stipulates that entrants must not threaten the international relations of member states.
Case Study: Romania and the Wider Fallout
The pressure has manifested starkly in individual nations. Romanian Senator Cristian Ghinea, who visited Taiwan in August 2025 and later Brussels, described a "political storm" and a "full PR offensive" from the Chinese embassy in Bucharest. This included personal criticism and propaganda articles promoting the One China policy.
"I'm a true believer in democratic values and I care about Taiwan as a democracy," Ghinea said, adding that the campaign only strengthened his resolve. He drew parallels with the war in Ukraine, warning that a successful Russian invasion could embolden Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding Taiwan and other territorial disputes.
The campaign's reach extends beyond Europe. African nations like Malawi and the Gambia were allegedly coerced into dropping out of a 2024 IPAC summit, and several African lawmakers were blocked from attending the vice president's November address.
China has also reportedly pressed European countries to follow the United Nations' lead and bar all Taiwanese people from government buildings, furthering its strategy of diplomatic isolation. Taiwan is not a UN member and its citizens cannot attend UN events as national representatives.
While only the Vatican maintains formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in Europe, countries including the UK, France, Lithuania, and Poland have increasingly hosted acting or former Taiwanese officials, signalling a growing Western willingness to advocate for Taiwan's democratic values despite Beijing's protests.
