In a series of demarches revealed on 13 January 2026, China has intensified its campaign to prevent senior Taiwanese politicians from travelling in Europe. According to multiple European diplomats, Chinese embassies across the continent have delivered note-verbales and held in-person meetings warning host governments that granting visas to Taiwanese office-holders would cross Beijing’s “red line” and “threaten bilateral ties.”
The legal argument advanced by Beijing cites Article 6 of the EU’s Schengen Borders Code, which allows member states to refuse entry to anyone deemed a danger to “international relations.” European officials, however, say China’s interpretation is both selective and unprecedented; until now, the clause has been invoked almost exclusively for individuals sanctioned for terrorism or organised crime. Governments in the UK, Finland and Norway have already rejected the request, reaffirming that visa policy remains a matter of national sovereignty.
The diplomatic push follows a flurry of high-profile Taiwanese visits to Prague, Vilnius and London late last year. Analysts see the move as part of a broader toolbox that includes economic coercion and disinformation aimed at shrinking Taiwan’s international space. While the warnings do not impose immediate legal obligations, they place European border agencies and corporate mobility managers in the cross-fire: a denied visa could trigger reciprocal measures by Beijing against EU officials or even corporate executives.
![Beijing Presses Europe to Keep Taiwanese Officials Out, Escalating Visa Tensions]()
For organisations navigating this increasingly fraught environment, specialist platforms such as VisaHQ can streamline the practical side of travel compliance. Through its China visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) the service tracks the latest diplomatic advisories, flagging rule changes in real time and helping companies secure or amend applications before political headwinds turn into border delays.
For multinational companies, the episode is another reminder that cross-border assignments touching on Taiwan are increasingly politicised. Mobility teams should monitor employee itineraries that include legislators or officials from Taipei and build extra lead-time into Schengen and UK visa applications. Some firms are already advising staff with routine business in Brussels or Berlin to carry supporting letters clarifying that meetings with Taiwanese counterparts are strictly commercial.
In the near term, experts doubt that EU capitals will bow to blanket bans, but they do expect longer consular processing times for Chinese visas issued to European lawmakers—and potentially more stringent scrutiny of European diplomats entering China. Businesses with government-relations staff should therefore prepare contingency plans for sudden travel disruptions stemming from tit-for-tat measures.
The legal argument advanced by Beijing cites Article 6 of the EU’s Schengen Borders Code, which allows member states to refuse entry to anyone deemed a danger to “international relations.” European officials, however, say China’s interpretation is both selective and unprecedented; until now, the clause has been invoked almost exclusively for individuals sanctioned for terrorism or organised crime. Governments in the UK, Finland and Norway have already rejected the request, reaffirming that visa policy remains a matter of national sovereignty.
The diplomatic push follows a flurry of high-profile Taiwanese visits to Prague, Vilnius and London late last year. Analysts see the move as part of a broader toolbox that includes economic coercion and disinformation aimed at shrinking Taiwan’s international space. While the warnings do not impose immediate legal obligations, they place European border agencies and corporate mobility managers in the cross-fire: a denied visa could trigger reciprocal measures by Beijing against EU officials or even corporate executives.
For organisations navigating this increasingly fraught environment, specialist platforms such as VisaHQ can streamline the practical side of travel compliance. Through its China visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) the service tracks the latest diplomatic advisories, flagging rule changes in real time and helping companies secure or amend applications before political headwinds turn into border delays.
For multinational companies, the episode is another reminder that cross-border assignments touching on Taiwan are increasingly politicised. Mobility teams should monitor employee itineraries that include legislators or officials from Taipei and build extra lead-time into Schengen and UK visa applications. Some firms are already advising staff with routine business in Brussels or Berlin to carry supporting letters clarifying that meetings with Taiwanese counterparts are strictly commercial.
In the near term, experts doubt that EU capitals will bow to blanket bans, but they do expect longer consular processing times for Chinese visas issued to European lawmakers—and potentially more stringent scrutiny of European diplomats entering China. Businesses with government-relations staff should therefore prepare contingency plans for sudden travel disruptions stemming from tit-for-tat measures.
