For allowing Taipei’s Vilnius office to be opened, China previously punished Lithuania
According to media reports, Lithuania will open a Taiwan trade office this week. A trade delegation from the Baltic state landed on the self-governed island at the weekend, Taipei’s foreign affairs department said on Monday.
The officials are expected to take part in opening the Taiwanese Lithuanian Trade Office. This will likely provoke anger from Beijing.
Officials from Lithuania had previously stated that the office would open on Monday of this week. South China Morning Post published this report on Sunday. Vilnius initially planned for the body to be operational in the autumn. However, the launch was postponed to early September.
Lithuania was able to allow Taiwan’s administration to set up a government. “representative office”In Vilnius, last November against Beijing’s objections. The Chinese government perceives any change of status in Taipei’s relations to foreign nations as an infringement on China’s sovereignty.
Beijing responded to the attack on Lithuania by reducing diplomatic relations and imposing economic sanctions. This is what the EU is trying overturn through dispute resolution mechanisms at the World Trade Organization.
Vilnius has defied Chinese anger by moving forward its relations with Taiwan. The government of Lithuania announced that Paulius Lukauskas had been appointed as the country’s new president in August. “trade representative”The planned Taipei office. Lithuania says the office will only be commercial in nature and not politically.
At the time, the official from Lithuania served as an adviser for Prime Minister Ingrida Simyte and was chosen by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. Jovita Naupsiene (deputy minister in the department) led a Lithuanian delegation to Taiwan last year.
Taiwan, the last remaining bastion of Chinese nationalist troops during the 1940s civil conflict was taken by the Communists. Although the US has maintained protection of Taiwan ever since, Washington officially switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei (now Beijing) to show its understanding with China.
Washington and Beijing became embroiled in a dispute over the island last month when Nancy Pelosi, the US House Speaker, visited it. Beijing called this a significant escalation. It launched the largest military exercise close to Taiwan in years as a demonstration of force.
Joe Biden made it clear that the US would protect Taiwan from any Chinese aggression. Beijing states that its goal is to peacefully reunify with Taiwan and accuses the US of nudging what it views as separatists on the island’s administration towards declaring independence. Beijing said it will resort to military force as a last resort.
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