The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) expresses deep alarm and shock over the confirmation by Czech military intelligence that Chinese diplomats and secret service agents surveilled then vice president-elect of Taiwan, Bi-khim Hsiao, during her visit to Prague in March 2024.
The intelligence report revealed that Chinese operatives not only tracked Hsiao’s movements but also planned to orchestrate a staged car crash—an act that could have endangered her safety and even her life. This visit marked Hsiao’s first official overseas engagement prior to her inauguration as vice president of Taiwan.
During her time in Prague, Hsiao met with Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, a diplomatic engagement that reportedly triggered strong disapproval from Beijing. Czech Military Intelligence uncovered that Chinese agents intended to carry out a demonstrative car collision and actively gathered intelligence on Hsiao’s schedule and her meetings with key Czech political and public figures. Jan Pejšek, spokesperson for the Czech Military Intelligence Service, stated that the actions of the Chinese officials bordered on endangerment and constituted a clear attempt to document and disrupt Hsiao’s engagements.
CALD believes that these actions represent a blatant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which mandates that diplomats respect the laws and sovereignty of their host countries and adhere to norms of international conduct.
In light of this alarming development, CALD stands in full solidarity with Vice President Hsiao, who also served as CALD Chairperson from 2018-2020, commending her unwavering courage in the face of foreign intimidation. Hsiao has affirmed that such unlawful tactics by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will not deter her from voicing Taiwan’s interests and participating actively in the global diplomatic arena.
Taiwan’s visit to the Czech Republic was rooted in the principles of peaceful engagement and legitimate diplomatic exchange. In contrast, China’s actions reflect a pattern of transnational repression and coercion. CALD unequivocally condemns all forms of threats and intimidation that jeopardize international peace and stability, and calls upon the global community to uphold the norms of civilized and lawful international relations.
“The international community must not turn a blind eye to acts of transnational intimidation—diplomacy must be guided by respect, not repression. We stand by Taiwan and with those who bravely uphold democratic values in the face of coercion,” expressed Francis Abaya, CALD Secretary General.
Categorised in: Statements
This post was written by CALD
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