Through : Justine| Key words : China-Lithuania-diplomacy
French.china.org.cn | Updated on 21-11-2021-
–
China has decided to lower the level of its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the level of charge d’affaires, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.
According to a statement published on November 18 on the official website of the Foreign Ministry, Lithuania, in defiance of strong protests and repeated representations from China, has allowed the Taiwanese authorities to establish a “Taiwanese representative office in Lithuania” . This decision knowingly creates the mistaken impression of “one China, one Taiwan” in the world, marks a renunciation of Lithuania’s political commitment in the press release on the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC ), undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and represents gross interference in China’s internal affairs.
“The Chinese side expresses its strong indignation and protests against this action and decides to lower the level of its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the level of charge d’affaires,” the statement said.
There is one China in the world, and the PRC government is the only legitimate government representing all of China, the statement said, noting that the one-China principle is a consensus of the majority of the international community, a widely recognized standard governing international relations and the political basis for China and Lithuania to continue to develop bilateral relations.
He pointed out that the Chinese government, showing good will to preserve Sino-Lithuanian relations, has repeatedly warned Lithuania not to act in bad faith. Sadly, Lithuania has chosen to ignore China’s solemn position and ignore the broader interests of bilateral relations and the core norms governing international relations. It allowed the establishment in the country of the “representative office” bearing the name of Taiwan, setting a scandalous precedent in the world.
Since the political foundation of diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level has been damaged by Lithuania, the Chinese government, out of the need to safeguard national sovereignty and the basic standards governing international relations, has no other choice but to lower the level of its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the level of charge d’affaires. The Lithuanian government will have to bear all the consequences, the statement said.
“We urge the Lithuanian side to immediately correct their mistakes and not to underestimate the Chinese people’s strong determination, will and ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
“We also issue this solemn warning to the Taiwanese authorities: Taiwan will never be a country,” the statement said. No matter how the forces of “Taiwan independence” try to distort the facts and confuse black and white, the historical fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China cannot be changed. Any attempt to seek foreign support for political manipulation will go nowhere.
– .
