Taiwanese deserve opportunity to participate in global affairs: VP Hsiao

Taipei, Nov. 9 (CNA) The Taiwanese people should be able to participate in the international community like all global citizens, and this belief is what drives the government to fight for Taiwan's international recognition despite the many hardships and challenges, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said on Sunday upon returning to Taiwan from her trip to Brussels.

Hsiao made the remarks at the Taoyuan International Airport following a whirlwind trip to Brussels for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China's (IPAC) Annual Summit at the European Parliament, where she gave a historic speech on Friday, titled "Taiwan: A Trusted Partner in a Volatile World ."

"All this time, Taiwan has faced hardships, unfair treatment, and setbacks. Nothing has been easy," Hsiao said.

"But we have never backed down, because we believe that the Taiwanese people - like all global citizens - deserve the opportunity to participate in the international community," she said.

"Thanks to the efforts and support of the Taiwanese public, we remain committed to forging a path through these ongoing hardships and challenges, one step at a time," she added.

Referencing her speech, Hsiao reiterated that Taiwan, as an important partner in reshaping global supply chains and a responsible member of the international community, will eventually win over more like-minded friends.

She thanked IPAC for its long-term support for Taiwan and emphasis on the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the speech -- the first delivered by a Taiwanese vice president in the European Parliament -- received a standing ovation from more than 150 international guests, including lawmakers from Europe, the United States, the Indo-Pacific, and Africa.

Hsiao's trip was not announced by the Presidential Office and took many by surprise. On Wednesday, she was still in Taipei and received a United Nations delegation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment when asked by CNA when Hsiao departed for Brussels.

China has relentlessly attempted to minimize Taiwan's international space, blocking it from international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

In June, the Czech news outlet iRozhlas reported that the Chinese embassy in the Czech Republic had planned a car collision targeting Hsiao's motorcade to intimidate the vice president-elect when she was visiting Prague in March last year - her first visit to the European country after being elected in January.

Quoting Petr Bartovský, the director of the Czech military intelligence service, the outlet reported that the "Chinese civil secret service had attempted to create the conditions for the implementation of a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person," although the plan was ultimately not executed.