Two Taiwan allies attend Beijing forum as China steps up diplomatic pressure
BEIJING (Reuters) -Haiti's foreign minister was one of Taiwan's two diplomatic allies attending a forum on Tuesday in Beijing between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, as China steps up its pressure campaign against the diplomatically isolated island.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has formal ties with only 12 nations, two of which, Haiti and Saint Lucia, joined the event, the Forum of China and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, or CELAC.
Reuters reporters at the forum saw the flags of both in the main plenary hall at the venue in the Chinese capital, with Haiti represented by Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste and Saint Lucia by diplomat Peter Lansiquot.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, asked about the presence of the two countries, said the forum is an important platform for "mutually beneficial cooperation" between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries.
"China has always welcomed and supported the participation of CELAC member states in the activities within the framework of the forum," he told reporters, without elaborating.
Haiti and Saint Lucia are both members of CELAC.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said it had been told in advance by the respective countries of their officials' attendance, and that Haiti had said its foreign minister was there given the country's membership of CELAC.
Saint Lucia said that Lansiquot was present not as a government representative but as a member of the Saint Lucia Labour Party, according to the ministry's statement.
Senior officials from both countries have repeatedly expressed the importance of their friendship with Taiwan, the ministry added.
Neither the Haiti nor Saint Lucia embassies in Taiwan responded to requests for comment.
Two diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said China has previously had such interactions with Taiwan allies at the same event.
The flags of other CELAC members who also have ties with Taiwan, such as Guatemala and Belize, were not seen in the room.
Taiwan strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims, saying it has every right to have diplomatic relations with other countries and that China has no right to speak for it on the global stage or pressure its international space.
Honduras was the last regional nation to switch diplomatic ties to Beijing from Taipei, in 2023.
Saint Lucia has had relations with Beijing before, and re-established ties with Taiwan in 2007, bucking the trend of countries switching to China.
Haiti's relations with Taiwan date back to 1956.
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"It seems like the way to identify what the Trump administration is after is simply the speech that the administration doesn't like," Wang said. "There's a slippery slope here. ... When it does that, it is a direct assault on what the First Amendment stands for." The administration has specifically targeted students who voice support for Palestinians in Gaza, most visibly in the video-recorded detention of a Tufts University student and the months-long detention of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil. Several cases related to Trump's policies on international students are pending in the courts. The intensity and breadth of the Trump administration's policies are historically atypical, Wang and Feldblum said. It's reminiscent of the post-9/11 hysteria, while Wang mentioned the Red Scare. "Immigration policy was used to keep out people who government officials believed would be spreading dangerous ideas in this country," Wang said. "We look upon those times now with embarrassment, with regret, and it's a shame that we're repeating many of those same mistakes now." Amid increased scrutiny of international students, they are now becoming extra careful to avoid any kind of technicality that could jeopardize their visas. The Purdue student interviewed by IndyStar was one of several who canceled summer plans to leave the United States. She wanted to attend a conference and visit her family after but thought it would be too risky. The IU student said most international students he knows have wiped or made their social media private in anticipation of social media checks. They aren't sure who is watching their posts or what they care about, he said, so they are meticulous in managing those online profiles. Though social media vetting existed previously, he said the renewed enforcement is concerning, especially since international students are in a precarious position while in customs entering the country. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol can bar entry for a host of reasons. "It still is very surprising that now to see that law enforcers or people who are implementing those rules are stretching them to their limit and also strictly implementing them," he said. "It's what most international students have not expected one or two years ago." One of the larger concerns, the IU student said, is whether students could lose financial support or their ability to be a teaching assistant. Losing that support or work permit, he said, could mean they are unable to continue their studies. Students also have strict rules about employment while in the U.S., and a violation could mean they are forced to leave. Many international students have had trouble knowing what resources to tap for help. The ambiguity and fear stemming from the policies are causing a wave of misinformation that students are grasping onto, Feldblum said. During a time "ripe for rumors," she said, it's especially important for students to connect with their universities and reputable sources. Resources include Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the Asian Law Caucus and Informed Immigrant. Many universities, too, are working behind the scenes to help students, Feldblum said, instead of fielding a public response. "I hear from a good number of leaders that to be effective is not to release the public statement necessarily, but it's to make sure that we are supporting our students and non-citizen campus members in practice," Feldblum said. "Colleges and universities, however, are more committed than ever to demonstrate that international students are wanted and welcomed by their campuses." When IndyStar reached out to universities to ask how they were navigating policy shifts and supporting students, most declined to comment or did not respond. The University of Notre Dame was one of the few that did, saying it "is carefully monitoring this situation and will remain in close contact with all of our international students," which it says are "important and vital members of our campus community." Though he has heard very little from the administration, the IU student said his department has offered a range of support, including the drafting of contingency plans and creating virtual options in case students can't get back into the country. His adviser also recommended that he and other students obtain an immigration lawyer, which he has done. "That's not the case for most departments," he said. "I think most departments have not communicated with their graduate students — at least in such a comprehensive way." The Purdue student told IndyStar she is worried her university won't protect its students and stick up for her if needed. In March, a U.S. House committee sought information from Purdue about its Chinese students and their research. Purdue complied. She said she has not heard anything from Purdue, so she's been relying on other avenues. She's found resources shared on RedNote, a Chinese social media app similar to TikTok, and guidance from her campus's culture center. "Everything is uncertain," she said. "We don't know anything if there's a lack of transparency." Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan, wrote that 'America's student visa system has become a Trojan horse for Beijing" in a letter to Purdue seeking Chinese student information. He joins Rubio and a swath of Republicans who say new immigration policies cracking down on Chinese student visas protect national security by limiting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the U.S. However, advocates and students say that fear is based on a misunderstanding about the students who seek to study at American universities. Many people, like herself, came here for a better life, the IU student said, and because they disagree with the Chinese government and the "toxic" work-life balance there. "I don't like Chinese government," she said. "Most of the international students coming here in the U.S. and studying abroad, most of them don't like China either." Chinese students are "pretty innocent," she said, and they are living in an atmosphere similar to the microaggressions when Trump made unsubstantiated claims that China created the COVID-19 virus. The environment could get worse still, she said, and they have a limited ability to speak out. "I know we don't have that right to protect ourselves because in the U.S., we are not allowed to," she said. "We just panic about the situation here (with) Trump." This package of policies will make students question whether they should return and could delay the ones who do, Feldblum said. It's clear to her what these policies will culminate in: "There's no doubt that we'll see a decline in new student enrollments." Though many students are determined to finish their programs despite recent hurdles, they are giving extra thought to whether or not they will stay in the country after graduation. Studying in the U.S. is still a goal for many international youth, the Purdue student said, and he hasn't heard of students leaving without finishing their programs. Instead, he's seen students "mastering out," meaning they pursue a master's degree instead of their intended doctorate. Some students are prioritizing programs in Democrat-led states where they "might find a more friendly environment." "When I applied for this program, I didn't know anything about Indiana," the IU student said. "If I had a better knowledge about what's going on in the state and also what's going on in the institution, I might seek more options or I might focus on applying for an institution in a different region." The USA TODAY Network - Indiana's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.
