China is trying to get parliamentarians from at least six countries to abstain from participating in a conference about China in Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory, starting on Monday.
Representatives from 25 countries are expected to participate. Parliamentarians from six of the countries that are part of the alliance of 35 behind the conference say they have been subjected to various forms of pressure or received invitations to urgent meetings to prevent them from traveling to Taiwan.
AP mentions representatives from Bosnia, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Bolivia, and Colombia, as well as an unnamed Asian country.
The head of the Ipac alliance, Luke de Pulford, claims that the pressure has been stronger than ever before. Previously, Chinese diplomats have contacted participants after the alliance has had meetings, but now it has happened before the conference in Taiwan.