China plotted car collision to ‘intimidate' Taiwan vice President? What Beijing said
China has denied that it planned a car collision plot to intimidate Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim during her visit to Prague last year. The Chinese foreign ministry defended its diplomats on Monday and dismissed the allegations issued against it by Taiwan. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim was allegedly the target of the Chinese government during her visit to Prague in 2024(REUTERS)
"Chinese diplomats overseas always respect their host country's laws and regulations," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, adding that the allegations were part of Taiwan's "sinister plot" against Beijing.
Ahead of China's rebuttal, Taiwanese vice president Hsiao Bi-khim took to X and shared that she will not be intimidated by Beijing.
Also Read: Taiwan records heightened military activity around its territory
The Taiwanese leader's remarks came after the Czech intelligence report stated that Chinese diplomats and secret service followed Hsiao during her visit to Prague in 2024, and planned to physically target her by ramming her car.
'I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety. The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community,' she wrote on X.
Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following the vice president's car in Prague. The reports further stated that the Chinese side also planned to stage a car collision targeting the Taiwanese leader.
Also Read: In Trump-Xi phone call, China urges US to 'carefully handle' Taiwan issue
Speaking to Czech public radio service Irozhlas, Petr Bartovský, the director of the Czech military intelligence service, added that the diplomat was stopped by the police. However, the agency had identified plans from the Chinese embassy to 'demonstratively confront Ms Hsiao'.
Jan Pejšek, a spokesperson for the military intel service, said the plan involved an 'attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions to perform a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which however did not go beyond the phase of preparation'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Discipline gone wrong: Outrage in China after boy, punished to do 1,000 squats, suffers kidney failure
A teenage boy in China suffered kidney failure and underwent a transplant after being forced to do 1,000 squats at a corrective school—raising serious concerns about excessive punishment and children's rights in disciplinary institutions. read more A 15-year-old boy in southern China developed serious health complications resulting in a kidney transplant, after being made to perform 1,000 deep squats as punishment, prompting widespread criticism and public concern on Chinese social media. The incident began in August 2023, when the boy, identified by the pseudonym Ajun from Guilin, Guangxi province, was found to have taken 3,500 yuan (US$500) in cash from a parked car. Due to being under the age of 16, the minimum for criminal prosecution in China, police sent him to Yongqing School for 'corrective education.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ajun's father, Jiang Peifeng, said his son was about to begin his third year of secondary school and had been going through a difficult period. Believing intervention by authorities could be a constructive step, he allowed Ajun to be enrolled in the program. 'He was a bit mischievous but had never broken the law before. They did not tell me what he had done, they just said they would tell me once things became clear,' Jiang told Guangxi Daily News. On September 13, Jiang received a call from the Central Hospital of Yongzhou informing him that Ajun had been admitted in critical condition and required urgent transfer to a higher-level hospital. Upon arrival, he found Ajun's body swollen and marked with sores. Jiang later learned that around 20 days earlier, Ajun and another student had been subjected to physical punishment at the school. On September 1, a drill instructor surnamed Du ordered a group of students to perform deep squats. Ajun reportedly completed approximately 1,000 squats in about 45 minutes. 'The instructor made me do them with my hands clasped behind my head. I counted about 1,000. Afterwards, my legs were shaking and I could barely stand,' Ajun said. Three days later, Ajun began noticing blood in his urine and swelling in his legs. Despite a diagnosis indicating kidney cysts, physical training sessions reportedly continued. During one morning session, he was reportedly slapped and kicked by the instructor and forced to remain standing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His health worsened, and he was diagnosed with kidney disease and a high level of urine in his blood. In June 2024, Ajun underwent a kidney transplant. To cover nearly one million yuan in medical expenses, Jiang sold their home and took out a 450,000 yuan (US$63,000) bank loan. Jiang later filed a lawsuit against the Yongzhou Public Security Bureau Lengshuitan Branch and Yongqing School. In March, forensic investigators concluded that Ajun's medical condition resulted from excessive physical punishment and classified him as having a level five disability. On June 18, the Yongzhou Intermediate People's Court held a second trial for the case. A verdict has not yet been announced. The incident has ignited strong reactions on Chinese social media. One person said, 'What kind of idiot instructor gives out 1,000 squats? That is something even special forces would not survive.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Carney bends against Trump: In surprise shift, Canada drops Digital Tax to reignite trade talks with US
On June 29, 2025, Canada's government said it is removing the Digital Services Tax (DST) to help restart trade talks with the U.S, as per the Department of Finance Canada. This decision comes from Prime Minister Mark Carney, who wants to get the best economic and security deal for Canada with the U.S. Carney and Trump agreed to restart trade talks and aim to finish a deal by July 21, 2025. The DST was first introduced in 2020 because big tech companies like Amazon were making money from Canadians but not paying fair taxes. Canada wanted to tax big tech Canada had hoped for a global agreement on taxing digital companies but made the DST in the meantime. The tax was supposed to be 3% on digital services revenue from Canadian users if the firm made over $20 million per year, with charges going back to 2022, as per the report by Reuters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cyprus Is Open for Investors - You Might Be Interested Cyprus Invest | Search ads Undo The first DST payment was supposed to be collected on June 30, 2025, but now that's been cancelled. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne will now introduce a law to officially remove the Digital Services Tax Act, as stated by the Department of Finance Canada. ALSO READ: Wordle answer and hints today, June 30: Puzzle #1472 – clues, meaning, and full guide to solve it Live Events Carney said the government will only make deals that help Canadian workers and businesses, and this move helps negotiations move forward. Champagne added that the goal is to make Canada the strongest economy in the G7, and scrapping the tax will help with that, as quoted by PM Carney in Finance Canada. Trump pushed back hard On Friday, Trump had suddenly stopped trade talks, calling the digital tax a 'blatant attack' on U.S. tech companies. Trump warned he would put new tariffs on Canadian goods within a week if the tax stayed, according to the report by Reuters. This trade fight came just weeks after a friendly G7 meeting, where both leaders said they wanted a new deal in 30 days. After the announcement to drop the tax, stock markets rose, and good vibes spread to Asian markets too, according to reports. In 2024, the Biden administration had also complained about the tax, saying it broke trade rules in the USMCA deal. Canada is America's second trade partner, just behind Mexico, and one buyer of U.S. goods, so keeping trade calm is important. Canada had avoided Trump's big tariffs from April, but still faces 50% duties on steel and aluminum, as per the report by Reuters. FAQs Q1. Why did Canada remove the Digital Services Tax? Canada removed DST to restart trade talks with the U.S. and avoid new tariffs. Q2. How does the DST affect U.S. companies? It would have charged U.S. tech firms like Amazon 3% on their Canadian digital sales.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Chinese ruling Communist Party membership crosses 100 million mark: Report
The CPC, founded in 1921, had more than 100.27 million members at the end of 2024, up by nearly 1.09 million from 2023, the report released by the Central Organisation Department (COD) of the CPC said Press Trust of India Beijing China's ruling Communist Party's membership has crossed the 100 million mark, a report said on Monday. The CPC, founded in 1921, had more than 100.27 million members at the end of 2024, up by nearly 1.09 million from 2023, the report released by the Central Organisation Department (COD) of the CPC said. The CPC had 5.25 million primary-level organisations at the end of 2024, an increase of 74,000 compared with the previous year. Headed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the CPC is one of the few Communist parties in power. Vietnam, Laos, Cuba and North Korea are governed by the parties claiming ideological affiliation to Marxism and Socialism. Analysts say the growth of the CPC membership was slow due to stricter screening by the COD, the party's top personnel office, the Hong Kong based South China Post reported. The membership data for the previous year was released a day ahead of the July 1 celebrations marking the party's founding. While CPC membership is sought after for its political influence, the members are subjected to much tighter regulations, including membership fees of up to two per cent of their monthly pay, which goes into the party funds, and regular attendance at party meetings and basic organisational cell activities, the Post said. By the end of 2024, there were 21.42 million applicants waiting in line, an increase of 440,000 applicants over 2023, according to the COD data. The CPC had nearly 31 million female members, accounting for 30.9 per cent of its total membership, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous year, Xinhua reported. The proportion of members from ethnic minority groups remained at 7.7 per cent. Workers and farmers accounted for about 33 per cent of all CPC members. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
