Dispute over relations with Taiwan: Lithuania’s diplomats leave China

Apparently Lithuania’s diplomatic representatives left China head over heels. The background to this is a dispute between the EU country and the People’s Republic over Lithuania’s relations with Taiwan.

The diplomatic crisis between China and Lithuania is coming to a head. The background is a dispute over the island republic of Taiwan. The Lithuanian diplomatic delegation surprisingly left the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday.

About 20 diplomats from Lithuania and their relatives left the Chinese capital Beijing head over heels, according to diplomats from friendly countries. They were all brought to the French capital Paris on a scheduled flight.

Lithuania said the embassy in China would be temporarily operated remotely. Apparently there was concern about the security of the Lithuanian representatives: They are said to have been intimidated and therefore had to surrender their Chinese ID cards. As a result, there was uncertainty about their legal status in China and their diplomatic protection.

China blames Lithuania for conflict

The concerns about the security of the diplomats are unfounded, said the spokesman for the Chinese state and party leadership Wang Wenbin at a press conference. However, Lithuania is to blame for the fact that the People’s Republic has downgraded the legal status of the Lithuanian embassy in China, the spokesman continued.

China is punishing Lithuania for strengthening ties with Taiwan. The Chinese state and party leadership regards the island as its own territory, although Taiwan was never part of the People’s Republic.

Trade with Lithuania already suspended

Although Lithuania officially only maintains diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic, the democratically governed island republic opened a liaison office in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in November – called the Taiwan Representation.

Reason enough for China to stop trade with the EU country and downgrade relations to such an extent that the diplomatic representatives of Lithuania were now forced to leave the country.