A Taiwan official was allegedly injured after becoming involved in a physical altercation with two Chinese diplomats at a function in Fiji earlier this month, according to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry.
The incident occurred on October 8 during a celebration for Taiwan’s National Day at the island’s representative office in Fiji’s capital city of Suva, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou told CNN on Monday.
Ou said that officials from the Chinese embassy in Fiji attempted to “gatecrash” the venue to take photos of the guests attending the event.
The two Chinese officials then became “violent when dissuaded by our staff, causing head injuries to our (official) who was later sent to hospital,” Ou said. She didn’t say whether the official had been released from hospital yet.
In a statement Monday, China’s embassy in Fiji disputed Ou’s version of events, contending instead that Taiwan officials had been “acting provocatively against the Chinese embassy staff, who were carrying out their official duties in a public area outside the function venue.” The embassy said that one Chinese diplomat had been injured in the altercation outside Fiji’s Grand Pacific Hotel.
Ou said the Chinese officials’ account was “an attempt to reverse the truth and confuse the public.”
The apparent confrontation comes amid escalating tensions between Taiwan and China. Even though Taiwan has never been controlled by China’s ruling Communist Party, Beijing insists it is an integral part of its territory and has threatened to use force if necessary to assert its control over the self-governing island.
Source: cnn.com
The post Taiwan official allegedly injured after altercation with Chinese diplomats in Fiji appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS