China ‘firmly objects’ to Taiwan deputy FM’s secret visit to Israel

The embassy said the matter touches directly on Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China and that foreign governments should refrain from engaging with Taiwanese officials.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

China’s embassy in Israel issued a sharp objection Thursday after reports surfaced that Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister, Francois Wu, had traveled to Israel on an unpublicized visit.

A spokesperson for the mission said China “firmly objects” to any official contact between Israel and Taipei, calling such interactions a breach of the one-China framework.

The statement said these exchanges “seriously violate the one-China principle,” which Beijing views as the basis for its relations with other states.

It stated that Israel should “correct the erroneous actions and stop sending any wrong signals to separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence,” adding that China expects Israel to safeguard bilateral ties “through concrete actions.”

The embassy declined to say whether Chinese officials had prior knowledge of the reported visit, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to questions about the matter. The episode comes amid broader diplomatic tensions involving Taiwan and reflects Beijing’s sensitivity to any suggestion of foreign recognition of Taipei’s political standing.

Reuters reported Thursday that Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister, Francois Wu, made an unpublicized visit to Israel in recent weeks, a development that suggests closer security contacts between the two governments even though they do not maintain official diplomatic relations.

The timing of the trip was not specified beyond a broad window of the past several weeks, with one possibility being early this month.

People briefed on the matter told Reuters that Wu held meetings with Israeli officials during his stay, but they would not disclose which offices or individuals were involved. The sources also did not indicate whether the talks touched on Taiwan’s recently revealed T-Dome air defense project, announced in October by President Lai Ching-te and believed to incorporate elements inspired by Israeli defense capabilities.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry would not confirm that Wu had traveled to Israel.

It issued a statement saying the two sides share commitments to democracy and freedom and intend to expand practical cooperation. The ministry said Taiwan aims to continue advancing joint efforts in areas such as technology, commerce, and cultural exchange, adding that it is open to additional avenues of mutually beneficial engagement.