China-Lithuania row: US vows to side with Europe to beat ‘economic coercion’ by Beijing

Name: Taiwan leader’s new year speech criticises Hong Kong press crackdown, mainland military incursions
Uploaded: 2022-01-06T05:10:30.000Z
Duration: 1 min 37 s
Description: Taiwan leader’s new year speech criticises Hong Kong press crackdown, mainland military incursions

US trade representative and Lithuanian foreign minister say US-EU Trade and Technology Council could help address diplomatic and economic issues

US and EU ‘share a number of core values and principles that we need to defend internationally’, says US trade representative’s office

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US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, right, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, left, said in a phone call on Wednesday the two nations would communicate regularly to strengthen their economic relations. Photo: Twitter

Teddy Ng

Published: 1:10pm, 6 Jan 2022Updated: 2:27pm, 6 Jan 2022

The United States has vowed to reinforce its support and work with European allies to help Lithuania counter “economic coercion” by China following a diplomatic dispute over Taiwan opening a representative office in Vilnius under its own name.

US trade representative Katherine Tai and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a phone call on Wednesday the two nations would stay in regular communication to strengthen their economic relationship.

“Ambassador Tai emphasised the US commitment to working with the European Union and its member states to address coercive diplomatic and economic behaviour,” a statement released by the US trade representative said.

The two officials said the US-EU Trade and Technology Council could play a part in addressing their “shared challenges”.

“Ambassador Tai and Minister Landsbergis both noted that the United States and the EU, as democratic market economies, share a number of core values and principles that we need to defend internationally,” the statement said.

Diplomatic ties between China and Lithuania were downgraded after Taiwan opened a representative office in Vilnius under its own name – a move that Beijing saw as a violation of the one-China principle.

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Taiwan leader’s new year speech criticises Hong Kong press crackdown, mainland military incursions