Lithuania is giving the go ahead to a planned Taiwanese representative office in the country. That’s despite Chinese anger over the project.
China’s objections stem from the office’s planned name. Most Taiwanese representative offices avoid direct references to Taiwan in their official names. Instead, they usually refer to themselves as “Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices” or “Taipei Missions”. But the Lithuania office is set to do away with this precedent, calling itself the “Taiwanese Representative Office”.
China has withdrawn its ambassador to Lithuania in protest over the planned name, and demanded that Lithuania recall its ambassador to Beijing as well.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry has expressed “regret” at China’s move. However, it says that Lithuania will continue seeking mutually beneficial relations with Taiwan all the same, while still respecting the “one China principle”.
The EU has backed up Lithuania over its decision to go ahead with the opening of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius. EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Nabila Massrali said Tuesday that the EU recognizes Beijing as the Chinese government but is still interested in deepening ties with Taiwan. Massrali said that the EU does not believe that member states setting up offices in Taiwan or vice versa violates its “one China policy”.