An international fracas involving Chinese diplomats has erupted on the sidelines of the Labor Party’s National Conference in Adelaide after The Nightly this week revealed a Taiwanese representative had been invited to the event.

The Nightly on Tuesday detailed how a member of Taiwan’s de facto embassy had been granted permission to attend the conference as an “observer” for the first time in years, along with diplomats from other embassies including the United States and China.

Chinese officials, who have long pressured the Australian government to limit interactions with Taiwan, have reacted furiously to the move claiming it is in breach of the government’s long-standing One China policy.

Under the One China policy, Taiwan does not enjoy formal diplomatic relations with Australia, but its interests are represented here by an unofficial embassy known as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).

During the opening morning of the conference on Thursday, three Chinese diplomats confronted the ALP’s national secretary Paul Erickson demanding the Taiwanese official be removed from the event.

According to witnesses the veteran ALP operative calmly explained to the Chinese delegation that the conference was taking part in a democratic country, and the Taiwanese representative was a “general observer” and did not have a diplomatic pass.

Mr Erickson, who is credited as one of the key masterminds behind Labor’s election wins in 2022 and 2025 then made it clear that the member of Taiwan’s TECO would be allowed to remain at the conference.

Sources claim that organisers have this year reduced the number of embassy representatives allowed to attend the ALP gathering because of the large presence of Chinese diplomats who attended the 2023 event.

The Labor Party earlier confirmed that other international delegates, including representatives from the UK Labour Party, would also attend this year but as observers rather than formal conference speakers.

The ALP has so far not commented on Thursday morning’s incident, but this week’s revelations in The Nightly about Taiwan’s attendance at the conference has sparked headlines in Taipei where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also declining to comment on the matter.

Former deputy Taiwanese Foreign Minister Roy Chun Lee said party-level engagement with Taipei was an encouraging sign but doesn’t necessarily point to Australia being prepared to make bolder diplomatic moves in the future.

“At this moment I think there is a clear message that at least at the party political level in Australia they feel more comfortable in engaging with Taiwan in a more formal setting,” he said.

“But as with all democratic countries — party level politics, party level debate don’t always translate into government or national policies,” Lee told the TaiwanPlus News service on Wednesday evening.

Earlier this month The Nightly revealed Taiwan had submitted a proposal to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to establish a trade office in Perth, but the move was being strongly opposed by China’s embassy in Canberra

“Taiwan interacts with other nations and engages in a variety of international activities,” a spokesperson from TECO told The Nightly at the time.

“We value our enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with Australia and will continue working with like-minded partners to contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity.”

At the time DFAT also declined to comment on whether the Taiwanese proposal for a fifth office in Perth was likely to be approved, or whether it will be blocked in line with China’s demands.

“Australia values our deep and productive unofficial relationship with Taiwan, including through engagement with Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (TECO) in Australia,” a DFAT spokesperson said.

Last month The West Australian revealed Chinese officials had been accused of harassing and intimidating pro-democracy activists who gathered in Perth for a nighttime vigil to commemorate the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Organisers of the June 4 event, claim the alleged foreign interference by the local consulate even included the family of one participant being threatened by police back in China.