Vice President Hsiao Visits Europe Again! Attends Forum in Italy, Presidential Office Confirms Lin Chia-lung's Accompaniment

Taiwan has achieved another breakthrough in Europe, as Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, following her surprise appearance at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, last November, has now attended the 'Ventotene Conference on European Democracy and Freedom' on the southern Italian island of Ventotene. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on the morning of the 11th to Storm Media that Hsiao was invited to attend the 2nd 'Ventotene European Forum for Freedom and Democracy,' accompanied by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

On November 7, 2025, Hsiao attended the annual meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) held at the European Parliament, setting a precedent as the highest-ranking current Taiwanese official to publicly visit Brussels. Regarding Hsiao’s visit to Italy, Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui and Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei stated on the morning of the 11th to Storm Media that Hsiao was invited to the 2nd 'Ventotene European Forum for Freedom and Democracy,' with Lin Chia-lung accompanying her. The Presidential Office will provide further details upon her return.

Notably, prior to Hsiao’s visit to Brussels last November, both Lin Chia-lung and former President Tsai Ing-wen had visited the European Parliament in October and November 2024, respectively. Before Hsiao’s current trip to Italy, Lin and Tsai had also visited Italy in late June. Lin led a trade delegation to Milan, a major industrial hub, while Tsai attended the 'Global Women Leaders Summit' in Bellagio and visited Rome, meeting with several Italian lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties.

Pina Picierno, the Italian Member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the European Parliament who initiated the 'Ventotene Conference on European Democracy and Freedom,' released a video via social media late on the night of the 11th (Beijing time), announcing that 'Taiwan’s Vice President' Bi-khim Hsiao had arrived in Ventotene. Due to Chinese government interference, information about her visit was kept confidential until her arrival to ensure her participation. Picierno stated, 'No one can decide who is welcome on European soil, whose voices should be heard, or whose presence must be hidden.'

'In Ventotene, who can attend is not decided by anyone, let alone by an authoritarian regime,' Picierno emphasized. Hsiao’s arrival, she said, 'sends a simple and very clear message: intimidation cannot determine who participates in our democratic discussions.' 'The right to free exchange cannot be bargained with authoritarian regimes, and today, Ventotene must continue to be a fearless place defending freedom and democracy more than ever.'

Picierno, an Italian MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, is also a member of IPAC. According to reports from the Central News Agency, Picierno launched the Ventotene Conference on European Democracy and Freedom in 2025, inviting global dissidents, activists, and European leaders to discuss how to resist authoritarianism and safeguard democracy. This year’s forum took place from September 10 to 12, with participants including Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine and recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.