Lithuania recalls ambassador to China amid Taiwan de facto embassy feud
- Diana Mickeviciene leaves Beijing for consultations ‘following the Chinese government statement on August 10’, foreign ministry says
- China recalled its envoy from the Baltic nation last month over its decision to allow Taiwan to open an office in Vilnius under its own name
The statement referred to “potential consequences” for Lithuania if it allowed the office to open but gave no details.
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‘One China’ explained
China says Taiwan is part of its territory and does not have the right to diplomatic recognition, although the island maintains informal ties with all major nations through trade offices that act as de facto embassies, including in the United States and Japan. Chinese pressure has reduced Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies to just 15.
Taiwan and Lithuania agreed in July that the office in the capital, Vilnius, set to open this autumn, will bear the name Taiwan rather than Chinese Taipei – a term often used in other countries in order not to offend Beijing.
Why do Taiwan’s missions mostly use the name ‘Taipei’?
On Friday, the Lithuanian ministry said that diplomats from the European Union – of which Lithuania is a member – expressed solidarity with Mickeviciene. The deputy EU ambassador to China, Tim Harrington, shared a joint photo on Twitter on Friday as dozens of EU diplomats gathered to demonstrate solidarity with their Lithuanian counterpart as she left Beijing and wished she could return soon, the ministry said.
Lithuania said its embassy in Beijing “continues to operate as usual”.