Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
China furious after Lithuania insisted on allowing Taiwan opened a representative office in Vilnius .
Beijing also warned Lithuania that China would do everything necessary to defend its sovereignty.
“Lithuania is the only one to blame, they will pay the consequences for what they did,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying in Beijing. Reuters.
Embassy office opening de facto Taiwan in Lithuania took place after last July Vilnuis agreed to Taipei to open a representative office in their country separate from the Chinese representative.
It is the first time in 18 years that the European island nation has received a Taiwan representative office.
As a result, China lodged a strong protest and decided to recall their ambassador in Lithuania.
Because, so far, China considers Taiwan as an opposition territory that wants to become independent.
Opening a Taiwan representative office, according to China, is tantamount to recognizing the region as a sovereign country.
The move is considered to deviate from the “One China” policy that Beijing has promoted so far to quell the turmoil of secession in some of its autonomous regions such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
With this policy, Beijing also often criticizes countries in the world that have diplomatic relations with China, but at the same time also establish relations with Taiwan.
Many countries have had to cut ties with Taiwan in order to maintain official cooperation with China.
However, since President Tsai Ing-wen took office, Taiwan has continued to promote its ambition for independence by continuing to strengthen Taipei’s profile and influence on the global scene.
In recent months, support for Taiwan has also grown. Starting from the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, to Japan support Taiwan’s right to sovereignty.
“There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. AFP.
China also considers Lithuania’s move to accept the Taiwanese representative office as a terrible act.
“We ask that the Lithuanian side immediately correct its erroneous decision,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
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