Taiwan protests with Vietnam about China interfering with commerce conference

台灣向越南抗議中國干涉商務會議

Taiwanese flags banned from WTCC meeting in Hanoi


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s representative in Hanoi will file a strong protest with the Vietnamese government for allowing China to interfere with a meeting of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce (WTCC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Thursday (April 11).

During the business group’s April 7-10 meeting in Hanoi, table cards showing Taiwan’s flag were removed. The use of official terms referring to Taiwan’s status as a country was also banned, CNA reported.

MOFA said it was regrettable the government of Vietnam had given in to pressure from China, per Radio Taiwan International (RTI). The meeting had been prepared for several months to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of Taiwanese investments in Vietnam.

The authorities also interfered with the number of official guests from Taiwan allowed to attend, while failing to notify the WTCC how many and which Vietnamese officials would be present. Singing the national anthem was also banned, though the organizers played a recording of the anthem with a video missing Taiwan’s flag.