High-level US, EU diplomats express worry over China’s ‘bullying’ of Taiwan and Lithuania
- Wendy Sherman and Stefano Sannino note a ‘shared interest in deepening cooperation with Taiwan consistent with their respective “one-China” policies’
- The two finish a second day of talks designed to help Washington and Brussels reach a closer alignment on China issues
Senior diplomats from the US and European Union voiced their growing concern about China’s pressure campaign and “bullying” against Lithuania and Taiwan, as the two democratic governments continue to defy Beijing’s demands and forge a closer relationship.
“We share many concerns with our transatlantic partners about the PRC’s actions,” said Wendy Sherman, the deputy secretary of state, including “bullying both Lithuania and Taiwan in response to their decision to deepen mutually beneficial economic and cultural ties.”
The comments came on the second day of talks in Washington between Sherman and her EU counterpart, European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino, part of an initiative between the two governments to seek alignment on China policy, known formally as the US-EU Dialogue on China.
“What is happening to Lithuania is extremely worrying,” Sannino said on Friday. “We are very worried about recent measures that have been announced by China vis-à-vis Lithuania.”
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The comments came just hours after Lithuania, the EU country that has taken the hardest line against Beijing so far, announced that China was blocking the small Baltic nation’s exports – apparently in retaliation against Vilnius’ move to open a “Taiwanese Representative Office” last month that bore the name “Taiwan” instead of “Taipei”.