Taiwan’s foreign ministry has expressed support for Lithuania after the Baltic state was hit with another trade ban by China, this time targeting imports of beef. That came during a press conference on Thursday.
China’s decision to ban beef imports from Lithuania comes amid increasing international concern over the ongoing trade row. Britain announced on Monday that it will support the EU’s legal action against China at the World Trade Organization. The United States and Australia have already given the case their backing.
The EU says Beijing’s actions against Lithuania, which is an EU member state, are “discriminatory and illegal”.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou says that the international community should condemn China’s coercive tactics towards Lithuania. She says Beijing is violating international trade rules.
Ou says that Taiwan is grateful for measures undertaken by the US and European states. She says Taiwan will continue to act in support of Lithuania, while fostering a close relationship between the two countries.
Lithuania has been the target of Chinese retaliatory measures since Lithuania and Taiwan announced they would open representative offices in each other's capitals last year.
Ou says that the foreign ministry is also paying close attention to ongoing talks between the four so-called Quad countries — Australia, Japan, India, and the United States. She says Taiwan is an important partner for the US in the Indo-Pacific region, and it hopes to develop closer cooperation with all like-minded countries.