Taipei accuses Beijing of interference at trade fair in Penang

The Taiwan government pointed the finger of blame at China after their beauty queen representative was banned from joining fellow contestants greeting guests at the 2022 World Congress on Innovation & Technology (WCIT) in Penang, Malaysia.

Malaysian trade event organisers stopped Miss Taiwan, Kao Man-jung, waving the Taiwan, or Republic of China, flag on stage. She was later seen in floods of tears as beauty queens from other nations appeared on stage during yesterday’s opening ceremony.

Taoyuan Department of Information Technology Director-General Karen Yu uploaded a video of the incident in Penang. She said…

“China’s bullying is everywhere and has permeated even this information communications technology gala.”

Taiwan’s foreign ministry lodged a formal complaint with the event’s organisers accusing neighbours China of interfering at the event.

“China pressured the Malaysian organisers to ban Miss Kao from holding our national flag on stage.”

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said such suppression “would only disgust Taiwanese people and the international community even more” and accused Beijing of deploying “vile actions.”

Yu revealed that the Taiwanese congregation chanted slogans to let those in attendance know that Taiwan’s Miss Asia Global contestant was there.

WCIT event organizers apologized to Kao later on saying that because of a “last-minute change,” they could not allow her to go onstage.

SOURCE: NDTV Focus Taiwan