A Reuters report claims Taiwan's deputy foreign minister secretly visited Israel in recent weeks, prompting a strong protest from Beijing. The Chinese embassy in Israel lodged a solemn representation and urged Israel to correct its actions. Taipei has not confirmed the trip.
According to a Reuters report on Thursday citing multiple anonymous sources, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister Francois Wu Chih-chung travelled to Israel in recent weeks, though it was not disclosed who he met there. Taipei has not officially confirmed whether the visit took place.
The Chinese embassy in Israel commented on the matter on Saturday, stating that Beijing firmly opposed official exchanges between countries it had diplomatic relations with and Taiwan.
“The Chinese embassy in Israel lodged a solemn representation with Israel immediately,” the embassy said in a post on social media.
The Taiwan question was one of Beijing’s core interests and a “red line that must not be crossed”, it added.
“We once again urge the Israeli side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle, correct its erroneous actions, cease sending any wrong signals to separatist forces advocating ‘Taiwan independence’, and take concrete actions to safeguard the overall development of China-Israel relations,” the embassy said.
This incident highlights China's sensitivity to Taiwan's diplomatic activities. While Israel maintains diplomatic ties with China, Beijing consistently opposes any moves perceived as supporting Taiwan independence. Details of the visit remain limited in the reports, but it has already sparked diplomatic friction.
