China sanctions Lithuanian deputy transport minister over Taiwan trip
- Beijing says visit undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
- Tensions compound and already stressed relationship between Beijing and Vilnius
The Chinese foreign ministry said the trip earlier this week by Agne Vaiciukeviciute “trampled on the one-China principle, seriously interfered in China’s internal affairs and undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
“In response to the bad and provocative behaviour of Vaiciukeviciute, China decided to take sanctions against Vaiciukeviciute, suspend any form of interaction with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and suspend exchange and cooperation with Lithuania on international road transport,” the ministry said.
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Taiwanese supporters queue up to buy Lithuanian rum held up by mainland China
On Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the Lithuanian delegation’s visit “deliberately infringing upon China’s sovereignty and grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs”, and China would “resolutely counter-attack”.
Vaiciukeviciute said in Taipei that Lithuania and Taiwan were “good friends”, and the delegation’s visit involved “cultural and economic exchanges”.
During the visit, the Lithuanian delegation met representatives from Taiwanese transport agencies and electric bus manufacturers “to explore the possibilities of collaboration in the electric bus, smart and green transport industries”.
Relations between China and Lithuania, already strained by Vilnius’s criticisms over Beijing’s introduction of a national security law in Hong Kong and alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, deteriorated further when Lithuania agreed last year to allow the self-ruled island to set up a representative office under the name of Taiwan.
“In view of the current priorities of Latvian foreign and trade policy, Latvia has decided to cease its participation in the cooperation framework of Central and Eastern European Countries and China,” Latvia’s foreign ministry said.
Estonia and Latvia say they are leaving China’s 16+1 trade group
Estonia issued a similar statement, saying it would “continue to work towards constructive and pragmatic relations with China, which includes advancing EU-China relations in line with the rules-based international order and values such as human rights”.
Mainland China and Taiwan split in 1949 at the end of a civil war when the Kuomintang was defeated by Communist Party forces and fled to Taipei.
Beijing sees the island as part of China and has never ruled out the use of force to take control of it. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. Washington, however, opposes any attempt to take the island by force.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
