According to a foreign media report, two members of China's embassy staff in Fiji crashed the Taipei representative office's National Day banquet on Oct. 8 and physically attacked Taipei office personnel.


Taipei representative to Fiji Jessica Lee gave an address at the representative office's National Day banquet on Oct. 8. According to a foreign media report on the 19th, two members of China's embassy staff crashed the banquet and attacked Taipei personnel. Political Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Tseng said on the 19th the office has already provided the authorities in Fiji with testimonies and evidence.

In all honesty, (this kind of situation) is very rare. Does it mean it's becoming more of a frequent occurrence, or was it an isolated incident? We are still monitoring the situation. However, we condemn China for the unideal behavior of its diplomatic personnel.

(The actions of the PRC personnel) are kind of like harassment. Their primary goal was to find out which Fijian officials were in attendance. Our staff asked them to leave. After leaving, they came running back a short while later and at this time there was somewhat of a more serious physical altercation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the two gate crashers have not requested diplomatic immunity. One Taipei office staff member was treated for an injury, while others had their injuries documented. The ministry says it has already notified all overseas offices to guard against malicious diplomatic attacks from China. Lawmakers also asked Tseng about how bilateral trade agreement talks are going with the US after the New York Times reported that US trade representative Robert Lighthizer has softened his stance on China. Tseng denied the development has thrown a wrench in signing a BTA with the US.

He didn't say he would no longer negotiate with Taiwan. He's just waiting for the right time.

So, concrete negotiations go back to the USTR? You have to go back to the USTR to sign a BTA. So, that would mean the resurrection of the TIFA? Yes.

Tseng says there has been no progress on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement since 2016 because of the Ractopamine issue and now that Taiwan has relented and lifted its import ban, there is a greater chance of resurrecting the agreement.



我國駐斐濟代表處官網上，po出本月8號在當地舉辦國慶酒會照片，我駐斐濟代表黎倩儀在台上致詞，還有外國賓客拿起手機拍照，氣氛和樂。然而外媒「亞太報告」19號報導，酒會上有兩名中國外交人員闖入，甚至動手攻擊我代表處成員。對此，外交部政次曾厚仁19號在立院備詢時證實，而我方已將人證、物證交給斐濟當局，密切追蹤後續處理方式。

無黨籍立委 林昶佐 vs. 外交部政務次長 曾厚仁表示：「老實說，這(種情形)還很少見，是不是代表普遍的行為？或是一個單一的事件？我們還在觀察當中。不過，對於中方的外交人員，這種非理性作法，我們予以譴責。」

外交部亞東太平洋司長 曾瑞利表示：「（中方行為)類似騷擾，他主要目的，就是要了解，到底斐濟的政要，有什麼人來參加？我們的駐館人員，有請他們離開，他們離開以後，沒多久，又跑回來，這個時候就稍微有一點，比較嚴重的衝突，就推撞。」

外交部指出，目前中方人員沒有要求外交豁免，但我方人員有一人頭部受傷送醫，其他人員也都到醫院驗傷。外交部也強調，已通電所有駐外使館，需特別提防中國戰狼外交以攻擊性越來越強的方式，危及我外館的活動。而對於台美雙邊貿易談判與規劃，立委質詢提到，由於紐約時報日前報導，美國貿易代表賴海澤對中國態度軟化，是否造成美台貿易談判障礙？外交部予以否認。

外交部政務次長 曾厚仁表示：「他並沒有說，不跟台灣來談，他只是在等一個確切的時機。」

民進黨立委 羅致政 vs. 經濟部次長 陳正祺表示：「(所以具體談判還是回到USTR？) 要洽簽貿易協定，還回到USTR。(那又回到TIFA？) 是。」

曾厚仁也指出，TIFA從2016年至今一直未能重啟的原因就是萊克多巴胺，如今開放萊豬進口，確實會增加TIFA重啟的機會。