Fijileaks
  • Home
  • Archive Home
  • In-depth Analysis
    • BOI Report into George Speight and others beatings
  • Documents
  • Opinion
  • CRC Submissions
  • Features
  • Archive

CHINESE DRAGONS RUN AMOK ON FIJIAN SOIL: Two Chinese envoys from Suva Embassy beat up a member of Taiwanese delegation in Fiji

18/10/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
From Grubsheet Feejee, 18 October 2020

Reports are emerging of a serious diplomatic incident in Suva 10 days ago in which two Chinese diplomats from the Suva embassy assaulted a member of the Taiwanese delegation in Fiji. The incident allegedly took place on the evening of Thursday October 8 on the fringes of a reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel hosted by the Taipei Trade Office to celebrate Taiwan’s National Day.


There was no mention of the incident in the publicity about the event released by the Taiwanese, that included a speech by Taiwan’s representative in Fiji, Jessica Lee, emphasising cooperation in such fields as agriculture and medicine and praising Fiji’s climate leadership. Yet the event was evidently marred by an astonishing physical altercation between mainland diplomats and a Taiwanese official.

Grubsheet understands that two members of the Chinese Embassy gatecrashed the function and began taking photographs of the proceedings and of those attending the function, which according to the Taiwanese included members of the diplomatic corps, international organisations, NGOs and Fiji’s Chinese community. According to well placed sources, they were asked to leave by a male member of the Taiwanese delegation but refused to do so.

Later the two Chinese embassy officials allegedly assaulted the delegation member, “beating him up so badly ” – according to these accounts – that he required hospital treatment in Suva. The reports say police were called to the GPH but refused to take the matter further when the Chinese officials claimed diplomatic immunity.

The entire incident is said to have been “hushed up” but there is still a diplomatic standoff because Taiwan has lodged an official protest with the Fijian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No other details are available for the moment. But it is clearly unacceptable for Chinese diplomats to assault other foreign representatives on Fijian soil. The two may be claiming diplomatic immunity but it does not give them the freedom to break Fijian law in such a flagrant and outrageous manner.

It is open to Fiji to declare the two Chinese diplomats persona non grata – the diplomatic term for an unacceptable or unwelcome individual – and require their removal from the country. But this is going to be a big test for the FijiFirst government’s resolve because of its close ties with Beijing and it is not a good sign that ten days have passed so far without public comment.

Only six days before the GPH incident, on October 2, the Chinese ambassador in Suva, Qian Bo, hosted Fiji’s “big three” – the President, Jioji Konrote, the Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama and the Speaker of the Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau – at a function at the Chinese residence to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic.

Relations between the Fijian government and Beijing are extremely close. Last year, Fiji bowed to pressure from China to force Taiwan to rename its office in Suva from the “Trade Mission of the Republic of China” to the “Taipei Trade Office”. Taiwan protested against the decision to no avail.

The GPH incident is evidently part of a global pattern of aggressive behaviour by the mainland to assert its claim to Taiwan, which includes President Xi Jinping threatening to invade the island by the end of the decade. Fiji is not the only country in which Chinese diplomats have been behaving badly.

Yet however small we are and whatever the level of Chinese aid, we cannot and must not tolerate unlawful behaviour on Fijian soil and the two offenders should be declared persona non grata as soon as possible and be withdrawn from Fiji.

Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment
Bahuki
18/10/2020 08:56:37 am

Although this does bring in to question on Fiji's sovereignty on diplomatic ties with both Taiwan and China, I don't think anyone would be surprised.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    editor@fijileaks.com

    ARCHIVES

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    Picture
    Picture