A senior EU lawmaker pushed back hard against Beijing's protests and agreed to visit Taiwan, a win for Taipei and a setback for China's pressure campaign in Europe.

• European Parliament vice-president Pina Picierno invited Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim to speak at a democracy forum in Italy, drawing angry protests from China.
• Picierno said Beijing does not get to set the European Parliament's agenda and that she is proud of the invitation.
• She has now accepted a reciprocal invitation and plans to travel to Taiwan within weeks or months.
• She contrasted Xi Jinping's military parade with Hsiao arriving without troops or tanks, framing the split as democracies versus authoritarian rule.

Outlook: Expect more friction between Brussels and Beijing as the Taiwan trip gets scheduled and China responds.