Although Lithuania is restoring diplomatic links with China, it would not change the name of Taiwan’s representative office in the nation, a Lithuanian lawmaker was quoted as saying.
In late 2021, Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius under the name “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania,” leading to China recalling its ambassador, expelling the Lithuanian ambassador to Beijing, and restricting the nation’s access to the Chinese market.
Since taking office, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has expressed interest in restoring diplomatic talks with China, although the name of the office remains a topic of debate.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Paluckas said that Lithuania would not sacrifice its relationship with Taiwan to resume ties with China, nor would the country issue an apology or make concessions, Lithuanian-language news Web site Delfi said.
Asked why China would be willing to resume bilateral relations without concessions, Paluckas said that normal countries maintain relations with each other, and that Lithuania could play a role in China’s larger interests in Europe.
Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the Lithuanian parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, confirmed to the outlet that China signaled a willingness to normalize diplomatic ties just days before a WTO ruling on China’s trade sanctions against Lithuania.
China’s message reportedly made clear that Lithuania must abide by the so-called “one China” principle, which Motuzas said Lithuania has not contravened, as the office is focused on trade and economic exchanges, and is not a diplomatic agency.
Lithuania rebuffed Taipei’s attempts to sign an intergovernmental agreement, as Vilnius does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country, although it would continue to cooperate on trade and economic matters, Motuzas said.
Some European countries might seek to strengthen exchanges with China in the face of US tariffs, he said.
Lithuania and China held talks about one month ago, in which both sides put forward their conditions and are awaiting a response, he added.
Talks are focused only on restoring ambassador-level diplomatic relations, and Lithuania has no intention of changing the name of the Taiwan representative office, nor of making any concessions, he said.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
RSS