The French delegation is the first visit by European parliamentarians since several high-level American officials, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, visited Taipei, European media reported.
Those visits provoked Beijing's fury and triggered unprecedented navy exercises where the island of Taiwan was practically surrounded by mainland warships. Beijing says that Taiwan is an "inseperable" part of its territory, and regards any official visit by foreign politicians to the territory as "interference in China's internal affairs."
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says that the cross-party delegation, headed by Senator of the Haute-Savoie region Cyril Pellevat (The Republicans), will stay on the island from Wednesday through Monday.
Pellevat will be received by Vice-President William Lai and not by President Tsai Ing-wen, according to the statement. Earlier missions by a French Senate delegation in October last year, followed by the visit of a French-led EU delegation were sharply criticized by Beijing.
MNA/PR
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