Ireland Tells Ministers to Stay Away from Taiwan National Day Events

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs issued a government-wide email on Sept. 29 advising government ministers not to take part in any of Taiwan’s National Day events, the Irish Times reports.

Taiwan’s National Day is held on Oct. 10, and the Taipei Representative Office in Dublin usually invites Irish politicians to celebratory events.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said in its email that attendance at Taiwan National Day events would “provoke China.”

It also said that “meetings between Irish and Taiwan public representatives are perceived in China as implicit recognition of the government of Taiwan and thus breach the One China Policy which has been adhered to by successive Irish governments.” [sic]

The email said previous Taiwan-related "incidents” disrupted Ireland's policy goals with China, and that the country's Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade “had to go to considerable lengths to reassure China of Ireland’s good faith.”

Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) was not surprised by the warning, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) reports.

Lee said Irish ministers friendly to Taiwan have protested the move in past years. He also confirmed that other countries have issued similar warnings, but refused to name which countries, according to CNA.

Taiwan Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said that boycotting Taiwan would not benefit either country, Liberty Times reports.

First Editor: Olivia Yang
Second Editor: Edward White