Lithuania has recalled its remaining diplomats from China amid worsening relations between the two countries over Vilnius’ decision to expand ties with Taiwan.
On Wednesday, Lithuanian officials summoned Chargé d’Affaires Audra Ciapiene for “consultations” and reaffirmed that the embassy would operate remotely and in a limited capacity. “I want to say very strictly that this is not the closure of the embassy,” Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.
Lithuania's acting chargé d’affaires Audra Čiapienė is returning to Vilnius for consultations as China wants Lithuania to rename its mission in Beijing as a “chargé d'affaires office”https://t.co/Gcmzr3teZq
— LRT English (@LRTenglish) December 16, 2021
Landsbergis reasoned that there is a lack of certainty over the legal status of Lithuanian diplomats in China. He added that China wants Lithuania to change the status of its embassy in Beijing to a chargé d’affaires office.
The foreign minister once again urged Europe and his country to stand up against China’s economic coercion and adapt to the short-term economic disadvantages dealt by Beijing.
Lithuania is waiting for China to decide if it will extend the accreditation of the Lithuanian diplomats. In a statement, Lithuania’s foreign ministry said, “Lithuania is ready to continue the dialogue with China and restore the functions of the embassy to their full extent once a mutually beneficial agreement has been reached.”
Reuters reported that a group of 19 people, including embassy personnel and dependents, had left Beijing for Paris “due to intimidation and safety considerations.”
Chinese foreign ministry officials were not available for comment.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated after Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de factor embassy in Vilnius last month. It is Taiwan’s first embassy in Europe. Elsewhere in Europe and North America, Taiwan’s international offices use the name Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices to avoid conflict with China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s foreign ministry has expressed solidarity with and extended support to the Lithuanian government. The ministry also called on Taiwanese companies to increase economic ties with the Baltic nation. The United States (US) has also extended support to Lithuania, further fuelling the US-China tensions over Taiwan.
We have to make it absolutely clear that we'll do everything we can to support Lithuania as China's coercion continues.https://t.co/tSV8tcZiJU
— 王定宇 Wang Ting-yu, MP (@MPWangTingyu) December 15, 2021
Beijing has historically pressured countries to sever ties with Taiwan through coercive diplomatic and trade measures. In fact, just last week, Nicaragua broke its longstanding diplomatic ties with Taiwan and switched allegiances to Beijing by recognising the Chinese Communist Party’s “one China” policy. The Nicaraguan government said, “The People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.”
In November, China downgraded ties with Lithuania, recalled its ambassador from Vilnius permanently, and labelled the Lithuanian envoy to Beijing a persona non grata, forcing him to return home. Unlike Nicaragua, however, Lithuania has refused to bow down and stressed that it wishes to maintain friendly relations with both Taiwan and China.