Beijing Consulate Issues Warnings to Eleven MPs for Attending Taiwanese Event
The local diplomatic representatives of Taiwan stated that the email was intended to intimidate local MPs.
Beijing has sent emails to the 11 NSW MPs who were present at a gala dinner celebrating the inauguration of Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-Te, urging them not to acknowledge the democratically elected island as separate from the mainland.
The email, coming from an unnamed consular official in Sydney, is titled “Concerns Regarding Attendance at the Taiwan-related Event.”
It expressed the consulate’s strong opposition to their attendance at a local celebration of Mr. Lai’s rise to power.
It also implied that the politicians could jeopardize Australia’s relationship with China, its largest trading partner.
“The Consulate-General hopes that you will acknowledge the fact that ‘Taiwan is a province of China’ and handle Taiwan-related matters carefully,” the email stated.
The email was sent from a Gmail address listed on the Consulate’s website under its “Political & Media Affairs” section.
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The Daily Telegraph newspaper was the first to report on the message.
MPs Hugh McDermott (Labor), Rod Roberts (independent), and the Liberal Party’s Jordan Lane, Rachel Merton, Chris Rath, Tim James, Ray Williams, Jacqui Munro, and Mark Coure all confirmed they received the same email.
NSW Premier Chris Minns stated that local MPs would not be “bullied” by the CCP.
“We’re not going to allow any Labor MPs to be bullied or intimidated from attending an event, that’s part of their role as a member of parliament,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
Intention to Intimidate
David Cheng-Wei Wu, director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney, informed The Epoch Times that Beijing’s objective was clearly to intimidate “the democratically elected MPs and suppress press freedom.”
He described it as another instance of the CCP’s “authoritarian expansionism,” revealing its blatant endeavor to undermine Australia’s democratic values. He emphasized that no one should tolerate authoritarian coercion and bullying.
He suggested that Beijing disapproved of the MPs’ attendance at the pro-Taiwan event because it challenged their narrative and aimed to diplomatically isolate Taiwan.
“The event celebrated Taiwan’s democratic accomplishments, contrasting with the authoritarian nature of the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” he explained.
“By participating in the event, [they] expressed support for Taiwan’s democracy and sovereignty, highlighting the shared values between Taiwan and Australia.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong did not comment on the Consulate’s email, but previously defended the right of federal MPs to attend the inauguration in Taipei.
“Australia consistently adheres to our longstanding and bipartisan One China policy,” she stated.
