Taiwanese Official Hospitalized After Alleged Attack By Chinese Diplomats in Fiji

The Taiwanese flag symbolizing independence was allegedly on display during the Taiwanese National Day event (Wikimedia Commons).

There have been several reports about a physical altercation between Chinese and Taiwanese diplomats in Fiji, which allegedly has resulted in the hospitalization of a Taiwanese diplomat. 

Taiwan’s trade office, which is used as an embassy, held an event to celebrate Taiwan’s National Day on October 8. The reception included around 100 guests, including two Fijian government ministers and opposition leader Sitiveni Rabuka. 

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two officials from the Chinese embassy arrived at the event—despite not being invited—and began taking photos of the attendees. When the Taiwanese hosts approached them to ask them to leave, a violent dispute ensued. 

Larry Tseng, head of Taiwan’s East Asia and Pacific Affairs department of Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry, claimed that the Chinese officials were attempting to identify Fijian politicians who were present at the event. He added that the injuries were due to “pushing and shoving” that occured between the two parties. 

In response, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Fiji released a statement claiming that the coverage of the alleged altercation was “totally inconsistent with the facts” and emphasized that Taiwan is an “inalienable” part of Chinese territory. On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry further clarified that they were aware of the event’s celebration, including the presence of the Taiwanese flag.

“A false national flag was openly displayed at the scene, the cake was also marked with a false national flag,” stated China’s spokesman Zhao Lijian to the media. He considered the event to be a “serious violation of the one-China policy” and requested Fiji police to investigate the matter. 

Beijing-Taipei relations have seen frequent flare-ups as diplomatic tensions continue to rise between the two governments. Although Taiwan has governed itself since 1949, Beijing still views the island as Chinese territory. The two states have economic ties with each other, but the sovereignty dispute has been a source of notable disagreement. On an international level, Taipei remains unrecognized by multiple countries, including the United States. Regardless, the U.S. has sold billions of dollars worth of arms to Taiwan. 

The Pacific islands are a diplomatic battleground for China and Taiwan. With the Solomon Islands and Kiribati breaking off diplomatic relations with Taiwan to please Beijing, Taiwan only grasps onto diplomatic relations with four Pacific countries: Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu. China’s investment in Fiji amounted to $1.08 billion in the last five years, far more than Taiwan’s contribution. Nevertheless, Fiji remains an important area of influence for Taiwan, as their own  unofficial partnership has produced other grassroots and private sector partnerships. In 2003, the PRC committed to enhancing its relationship with the Pacific Islands Forum, adding that the PIF should “refrain from any exchanges of an official nature or dialogue partnership” with Taiwan.