TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The European Union's intelligence chief was forced to cancel his trip to Taiwan after plans for his trip were leaked to China and Beijing exerted pressure on the organization to suspend the visit.

Two diplomats familiar with the matter were cited by Politico as stating that the Director for the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN), Jose Casimiro Morgado, was originally slated to make a "below-the-radar visit" with Taiwanese officials in October. However, according to the sources, Morgado was forced to cancel the trip after information about his visit had been obtained by China and Beijing applied pressure on the EU.

It is uncertain whether the sensitive data had been leaked to China via human or electronic sources. The diplomats also privately expressed concerns about China's interference in the EU official's itinerary.

After the article was published, an EU official denied reports that Morgado was planning to visit Taiwan and claimed that the meeting was merely to take place over the phone. The official then claimed that the teleconference was also canceled due to China's aggressive military response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August.

Exchanges between the EU and Taiwan have been on the rise with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) making an unprecedented visit to Brussels on Oct. 29, 2021 to meet with EU figures, while members of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes (INGE) arrived in Taipei on Nov. 3 last year. On Tuesday (Sept. 13), Reuters cited six sources as saying that top Taiwanese officials are pitching the idea of preparing sanctions in the event China invades the country in the wake of its stepped-up military exercises and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.