Lithuania said it would continue to challenge the Asian giant’s “one China” policy by allowing Taiwan to set up a representative office in Vilnius, which has led to strong pressure from Xi Jinping’s regime.
In November 2021, the Lithuanian government allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius.
As a result, China has restricted trade and investment between the two countries and reduced diplomatic relations with Lithuania to chargé d’affaires level.
Despite this pressure, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis stated in an interview with CNN that his country does not regret the decision and called on other countries to support Taiwan in the international community.
In addition, the Lithuanian-Chinese Association, which had been working to improve relations between the two countries, was dissolved by the Chinese government.
Meanwhile, China’s state news agency Xinhua has published a series of negative articles about Lithuania, accusing the country of “compromising China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The “One China” position is the official policy of the People’s Republic of China, which maintains Taiwan as one of its provinces. In fact, the Chinese regime considers Taiwan a “rogue province”, which must be reunited with China at some point.
The Lithuanian minister insisted his country remains determined. “We resisted the pressure. I don’t think we are the last. But the lessons we learned from Lithuania could be useful elsewhere,” Landsbergis said.
The official also urged other countries to support Taiwan in the international community, noting that small countries also have a voice.
“They must not be intimidated by the great powers,” Landsbergis said. “We are willing to share our experience with other countries facing similar pressures.”
Lithuania is not the only country to show support for Taiwan in the context of the tension between China and Taiwan.
Several countries, including the United States, Japan and Australia, have expressed solidarity with Taiwan and called on China to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Source: El heraldo

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.