Taipei (AFP)
A delegation of four French senators led by a former defense minister arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, despite strong protests from the Chinese embassy in France.
France's foreign ministry rejected China's protests, saying senators were free to roam.
"The senators are carrying out this visit despite threats from the Chinese ambassador to France, thus showing their unwavering commitment to the spirit of freedom and democracy," the Taiwanese foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
Since March, China has been trying to dissuade French senators from making this trip to the island, which it considers to be one of its provinces.
The Chinese embassy warned that the visit would damage China's interests, Sino-French relations and "France's image" in recent comments on its website.
In February, the Chinese ambassador wrote a letter to former French Defense Minister Alain Richard, in which he said his visit "would clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to the separatist forces of Taiwan ".
Member of the presidential majority, Alain Richard chairs the Information and Exchange Group between the Senate and Taiwan.
He has already visited the island in 2015 and 2018.
For his part, he refutes any questioning of the one-China principle.
The delegation will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday before ending its trip on Sunday, according to Taiwan's foreign ministry.
Beijing is opposed to Taipei having official trade with other countries and has tried emphatically to dissuade politicians from going there in recent years.
© 2021 AFP