Lithuania calls its unstable relationship with China a “wake-up call” for Europe – EURACTIV.com

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania stated on Wednesday (November 3) that China’s attitude towards Lithuania has sounded a “wake-up call” for Europe and called on the EU to unite in dealing with Beijing.

After Taiwan announced that its Vilnius office would be called the Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania, China requested Lithuania to withdraw its ambassador to Beijing in August.

This country with a population of about 3 million also withdrew from the “17+1” dialogue mechanism between China and some Central and Eastern European countries this year. The United States regards this as a diplomatic effort by Beijing to split Europe.

Lithuania withdraws from the “divided” China 17+1 group

Lithuania said on Saturday (May 22) that it would withdraw from the 17+1 Cooperation Forum between China and Central and Eastern European countries, including other EU member states, calling it a “splitting”.

The trade interruption triggered by the tension poses a risk to Lithuania’s economic growth.

Arnoldas Pranckevičius, Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania, said at a security forum in Washington: “I think this has sounded the alarm in many ways, especially for the European compatriots to understand that if you If you want to defend democracy, you must persevere.”

U.S. supports Lithuania against Chinese pressure

Lithuania said that US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken spoke with the Lithuanian Foreign Minister on Saturday (August 21) and agreed to take “bilateral coordinated actions” to help Lithuania bear pressure from China’s decision to develop relations with Taiwan.

Plankvicius said that in order for Europe to be credible in the world and become a partner of the United States, it must “take action against China.”

“China is trying to follow us as an example-a negative example, so that other countries may not necessarily follow this path, so how Western society, the United States and the European Union react is a matter of principle,” he said.

China claims that Taiwan under democratic management is its own territory, and it is often angered by any actions that might suggest that Taiwan is an independent country.

Only 15 countries have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but many other countries have de facto embassies. These embassies are often referred to as trade offices. The name of Taipei City is used to avoid mentioning the island itself.

Pranckevičius added that Lithuania’s move to withdraw from the 17+1 mechanism was not anti-China, but pro-European.

He said: “We must speak in a united manner, otherwise we will not be able to gain trust, we will not be able to defend our interests, and we will not be able to establish equal relations with Beijing.”