Fact Check: China plotted to sabotage Taiwanese VP's visit to Czechia.

Fact Check: "China plotted to sabotage Taiwanese VP's visit to Czechia."

What We Know

During Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's visit to Czechia in March 2024, Czech military intelligence confirmed that Chinese agents conducted an intelligence operation aimed at undermining her visit. This operation included plans for physical confrontation and surveillance of Hsiao, which were described as "unprecedented" acts of interference on European soil (source, source). The Czech Military Intelligence Service reported that the Chinese embassy in Prague was involved, specifically the Office of the Military and Air Attaché, which trailed Hsiao from her arrival at Vaclav Havel airport (source).

Czech officials noted that the Chinese agents attempted to create conditions for a demonstrative incident, including a traffic incident where a vehicle with a Chinese diplomatic passport followed Hsiao's convoy and ran a red light, although the Czech authorities determined that this was not an outright intimidation attempt (source). The operation was characterized by Jan Pejšek, spokesperson for the Czech Military Intelligence Service, as an effort to gather intelligence about Hsiao's schedule and meetings with Czech officials, which violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (source).

Analysis

The claim that China plotted to sabotage Hsiao Bi-khim's visit is supported by multiple credible sources, including reports from Czech military intelligence and statements from Czech officials. The intelligence operation's confirmation by the Czech Military Intelligence Service lends significant credibility to the assertion that there was a coordinated effort by Chinese agents to disrupt the visit (source, source).

The sources detailing these events are reliable, as they come from official statements and reports from the Czech government and reputable news organizations. For instance, the Czech Radio report, which detailed the intelligence operation and the involvement of the Chinese embassy, is corroborated by statements from Czech officials, including the director of the Czech Military Intelligence Service, Petr Bartovský (source).

However, it is essential to note that while the operation was confirmed, the extent of the threat to Hsiao's safety was deemed not immediate, indicating that while there was intent to disrupt, it did not escalate to a direct physical confrontation (source). This nuance is important in understanding the nature of the claim.

Conclusion

The claim that China plotted to sabotage Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's visit to Czechia is True. The evidence from credible sources confirms that a coordinated intelligence operation was conducted by Chinese agents, which included surveillance and plans for confrontation during Hsiao's visit. The actions taken by the Chinese embassy in Prague were unprecedented and violated international diplomatic norms, highlighting the escalating tensions surrounding Taiwan's international engagements.