Lithuania refuses to budge under China's pressure; Taiwan hails its 'principled stand'

Taiwan acknowledged Lithuania on Tuesday for the country’s "principled stance" and courage in declaring that it aims to establish beneficial ties with the island despite the Chinese pressure. "We applaud Lithuania's courageous and principled stance on Taiwan. Friendship, cooperation and respect are the bedrock of positive international engagement. As forces for good, we'll continue working together to safeguard freedom and democracy for the benefit of our citizens,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry tweeted. On Tuesday, Lithuania stated that it would foster mutual ties and work in coordination with Taiwan, which the island nation said safeguards freedom and democracy for the benefit of its citizens, according to ANI. 

Lithuanian Foreign Ministry issued a statement following China’s unilateral move of recalling its envoys to Lithuania and demanding that the baltic country does the same. Amid worsening ties between the two nations and heightened tensions over the Taiwan row, Lithuania stood firm on the anti-China sentiment. The country’s ruling coalition, the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats challenged PRC by cozying relations with Taiwan as China on Tuesday stressed that Lithuania must withdraw its ambassador in Beijing. China and Lithuania had been at loggerheads over Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu's announcement that Taiwan was opening a representative office in Vilnius.

Taiwan's diplomatic ties on persistent pressure by China

Taiwan's diplomatic relations with foreign countries, including Lithuania, have been subjected to persistent pressure from China for decades. According to the island's foreign ministry, the proposed offices such as one being opened by Lithuania will work to improve economic and trade links, as well as cooperation in various other areas. The office will be referred to as "Taiwan," rather than "Chinese Taipei," as it is known in other nations, in order to avoid offending Beijing, which claims the island as its own but lacks diplomatic recognition. 

While Chinese pressure has reduced the island's recognized diplomatic relations to just 15, de facto embassies maintain informal links with all major countries. Lithuania will open an office in Taiwan in the autumn. According to Joseph Wu. "I, therefore, believe that Taiwan and Lithuania's economic and trade exchanges, cooperation in various fields, as well as the friendships between people will all be enhanced, despite their geographical distance." The last time Taiwan established a representative office in Europe was in 2003 at Bratislava, Slovakia.

Image: AP