Beijing – October 30 (Online): China on Tuesday demanded that Lithuania withdraw its ambassador in Beijing and said it would recall China’s envoy to Vilnius in a row over the Baltic state allowing Chinese-claimed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy there using its own name.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan to be its most sensitive territorial issue as part of “one China”, and is regularly angered by any moves which suggest the island is a separate country.
Taiwan announced the new mission last month, saying it would be called the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, the first time the island’s name has been used for one of its offices in Europe, as normally only “Taipei” is used.
Lithuania’s permission for the office to open under the name of Taiwan was done “in disregard of China’s repeated representations and articulation of potential consequences”, and severely undermines China’s sovereignty, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
“The Chinese government expresses its categorical opposition to this move. China has decided to recall its ambassador to Lithuania and demanded the Lithuanian Government recall its ambassador to China,” it added.
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
