Lawmakers from around the world allege pressure to skip Taiwan conference

Lawmakers from at least six countries reported Chinese diplomats pressuring them not to attend a China-focused conference in Taiwan, aiming to isolate the self-governed island.

Politicians from Bolivia, Colombia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and an unnamed Asian country told the Associated Press they received conflicting texts and calls, with Sanela Klarić from Bosnia even reporting that Chinese diplomats contacted her party leader to prevent her from traveling. The conference will be held by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of lawmakers from 35 countries, beginning Monday in Taipei and includes participants from 25 countries like Japan, India and the U.K.