China pressing European countries to bar Taiwan politicians or face crossing a red line'

"Chinese officials have been pushing legal advice on European countries, saying their own border laws require them to ban entry to Taiwanese politicians, according to more than half a dozen diplomats and officials familiar with the matter. The officials made demarches to European embassies in Beijing, or through local embassies directly to European governments in their capital cities, warning the European countries not to trample on China's red lines, according to the European diplomats and ministries who spoke to the Guardian."

"The Chinese cited multiple EU laws and regulations, including one known as the Schengen Borders Code, which says a condition for entry by non-EU nationals is that they are not considered to be a threat to the international relations of any of the member states. The officials' suggestion, the Guardian understands, was that allowing Taiwanese officials to enter a European country would threaten that country's international relations with China."

Chinese officials pressed European governments to bar Taiwanese politicians from entry, arguing national border laws and EU rules require such measures. Officials delivered demarches to embassies in Beijing and to capitals, using written notes verbale and in-person approaches. The approaches occurred in November and December and partly responded to recent European trips by Taiwan's vice-president, foreign minister and a former president. Beijing framed an institutional loophole as allowing frequent visits and cited EU laws including the Schengen Borders Code, arguing that visits could threaten member-state international relations. Some officials referenced the Vienna Convention or suggested barring Taiwanese from government buildings. An academic called the application bold.

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