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Lithuania recalls ambassador to China amid Taiwan de facto embassy feud
- Diana Mickeviciene leaves Beijing for consultations ‘following the Chinese government statement on August 10’, foreign ministry says
- China recalled its envoy from the Baltic nation last month over its decision to allow Taiwan to open an office in Vilnius under its own name
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Lithuania on Friday recalled its ambassador to China following the Baltic country’s decision in July to allow self-governing Taiwan to open an office in its capital under its own name.
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The foreign ministry said ambassador Diana Mickeviciene had been recalled from Beijing for consultations “following the Chinese government statement on August 10”.
Last month, China recalled its ambassador to Lithuania and told the Baltic nation to “immediately rectify its wrong decision, take concrete measures to undo the damage, and not to move further down the wrong path”.
The statement referred to “potential consequences” for Lithuania if it allowed the office to open but gave no details.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry expressed regret over China’s action and stressed that while respecting the one-China principle, it stands ready to develop mutually beneficial ties with Taiwan, just as many other countries in the world do.
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‘One China’ explained
‘One China’ explained
China says Taiwan is part of its territory and does not have the right to diplomatic recognition, although the island maintains informal ties with all major nations through trade offices that act as de facto embassies, including in the United States and Japan. Chinese pressure has reduced Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies to just 15.
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