The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Fiji and the Taipei Trade Office here have both accused each other of alleged assaults at the Grand Pacific Hotel on the 8th of October this year however Police say they have only received one complaint from the Chinese Embassy.

It is alleged that the confrontation erupted when the Taiwanese tried to stop Chinese diplomats from taking photos of guests at their National Day event organised by the Taipei Trade Office.

When questioned by Fijivillage about the alleged incident, the Chinese Embassy has said that the staff of the Taipei Trade Office in Fiji acted provocatively against the Embassy staff who were carrying out their official duties in the public area outside a function venue on October 8th, causing injuries and damage to one Chinese diplomat.

The Chinese Embassy says they have expressed their serious concerns to the Fijian side about the incidents, requesting the Fijian Police to carry out thorough investigations into the incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable according to law.

The Embassy says they have noted some social media coverage on what happened outside the venue of the function at Grand Pacific Hotel organized by the Taipei Trade Office in Fiji on October 8th.

It says those allegations concerning Chinese Embassy staff assaulting a Taipei Office employee are totally inconsistent with facts.

The Embassy says the fact is that the Taipei Trade Office in Fiji held the so-called “National Day” event in public in the evening of October 8th, 2020.

It says this kind of function clearly violates the one-China principle and the relevant rules and regulations of the Fijian government, with an attempt to create “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” internationally.

The Chinese Embassy says it should be pointed out that there is only one China in the world and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. It says Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

They further say these facts are recognized by the relevant UN resolution and constitute the universal consensus of the international community.

The Chinese Embassy says the one-China principle meets the shared aspiration of the people and is an irresistible trend of the times.

China says it highly appreciates the Fijian government for upholding one-China principle and expects that the Fijian side will tackle this issue properly.

Taiwan ministry spokeswoman, Joanne Ou said a Taiwanese employee was taken to a hospital with a head wound while police took away the Chinese diplomats.

The AP says China is stepping up pressure on other governments to isolate Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949 following a civil war.

Taiwan is recognized as an independent government by only 15 nations, most of them small and poor but its elected government has extensive commercial and informal ties with many nations.

Fijian Police say they are currently investigating a complaint of staff of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China against an employee of the Taipei Trade Office in Suva.

Spokesperson, Ana Naisoro confirms that the report is lodged by the Chinese Embassy staff.

It is alleged that the Taipei Trade Office worker had assaulted the Chinese Embassy staff on October 8th 2020 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva during the 109th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Police say the Chinese Embassy staff has claimed that he was allegedly assaulted at the corridor of the venue of the event which was accessed by all patrons.

Naisoro says there is no report of the Taipei Trade Office employee getting assaulted.

She says the number of people involved will be determined in the investigation as the lodged report deals with the alleged assault by the Taipei Trade Office worker.

Naisoro says they are also working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We have also contacted the Representative of the Taipei Trade Office, Jessica Lee. She is expected to comment soon.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Yogesh Karan says he is not aware of the alleged incident and nothing formal has been received by him.

One of our diplomats was assaulted by the Chinese Embassy staff – Taiwan Foreign Ministry

Monday 19/10/2020

Vijay Narayan

Taiwan is now saying that one of their diplomats ended up in hospital in Fiji earlier this month after two Chinese diplomats allegedly stormed into a reception trying to gather information on who was attending.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement that the incident happened on the evening of October 8th at a Taiwan national day reception organised by their representative office in Fiji, where two Chinese diplomats allegedly tried to force their way in to take pictures and collect information on who was attending.

It says violence ensued after Taiwanese diplomats tried to prevent them from entering, and a Taiwanese diplomat was sent to hospital with a head injury.

The Taiwanese ministry also says that Fiji police forced the Chinese diplomats from the venue, who later said it was them who were attacked by Taiwanese diplomats.

Speaking in parliament, Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Henry Tseng said they are still looking at whether this represents common behaviour or was an isolated incident, but they condemn these irrational acts by the Chinese diplomats.

Larry Tseng, the head of the ministry’s East Asia and Pacific affairs department said the Chinese were trying to work out whether any Fijian politicians were present at the event.

He adds that there were injuries on both sides in the “pushing and shoving” that took place between the Chinese and Taiwanese diplomats.

Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro says they have only received the complaint from the Chinese Embassy which is now under investigation.

[Source : newsbreak.com]