In March 2024, a significant security incident unfolded during the official visit of Taiwan's then Vice President-elect, Hsiao Bi-khim, to Prague, exposing what experts and officials describe as a pattern of China’s cross-border repression and global intimidation tactics.

According to reports confirmed by Czech military intelligence, Chinese agents—including diplomats and military attachés from the Chinese embassy in Prague—closely surveilled Hsiao and her delegation during the visit, with the specific intent to orchestrate a car collision involving her motorcade.

The plot, which never advanced beyond the planning stage, involved a Chinese diplomat tailing Hsiao’s vehicle aggressively through Prague, at one point running a red light while maintaining close surveillance.

Czech police and intelligence services intervened, ensuring Hsiao’s safety and preventing any incident from occurring. Czech authorities later stated that the Chinese operation was intended as a "demonstrative, forceful action"—essentially a show of intimidation—rather than a fully developed assassination attempt. Nevertheless, the plan represented a serious breach of diplomatic norms and the Vienna Convention, raising alarms about the extent of Chinese intelligence operations in Europe.

National security experts warn that this incident is not isolated, but part of a broader trend of extraterritorial coercion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Similar tactics have reportedly been used against Hong Kong activists and critics of Beijing abroad, with the aim of intimidating and deterring dissenting voices and political figures.

Professor Wang Zhin-sheng of Central Police University described the Prague incident as a "stress test" for Czech authorities, warning that such actions are designed to gauge the tolerance of host countries and deter future visits by Taiwanese leaders.

The revelation of the plot triggered strong international backlash. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned China’s actions as a grave violation of diplomatic conventions and demanded an official apology. The US House Foreign Affairs Committee labeled the incident as "criminality on display" and called for a unified international response. The Taipei Times and other commentators have stressed that the plot endangered Hsiao’s life and marked an escalation in China’s willingness to project coercive power beyond its borders.

Experts now urge democratic nations to adopt a "zero tolerance" policy toward such acts of foreign intimidation, emphasizing the need to protect Taiwanese officials and other democracy advocates abroad. The incident in Prague is widely seen as a warning that China’s intelligence agencies are prepared to test the resolve of host countries and may target high-profile figures in future operations.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the accusations, instead criticizing the Czech Republic for what it called interference in China’s internal affairs due to Hsiao’s visit. However, the incident has further strained China’s relations with both Taiwan and several European states, highlighting the growing risks and complexities of cross-strait and international diplomacy in the face of Beijing’s assertive foreign policy.

Based On ANI Report