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"Unacceptable": Baerbock assures Lithuania assistance in the conflict with China

2022-04-22T13:57:28.526Z


"Unacceptable": Baerbock assures Lithuania assistance in the conflict with China Created: 04/22/2022, 15:49 By: Sven Hauberg In Vilnius, Annalena Baerbock promised the Lithuanian government EU support. © Petras Malukas/AFP Because of a dispute over a Taiwan representative office, China has imposed punitive measures on the EU country Lithuania. These would have to be "repealed", Annalena Baerbo


"Unacceptable": Baerbock assures Lithuania assistance in the conflict with China

Created: 04/22/2022, 15:49

By: Sven Hauberg

In Vilnius, Annalena Baerbock promised the Lithuanian government EU support.

© Petras Malukas/AFP

Because of a dispute over a Taiwan representative office, China has imposed punitive measures on the EU country Lithuania.

These would have to be "repealed", Annalena Baerbock now demands.

Munich/Vilnius – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has intervened in the conflict between China and Lithuania.

During a visit to Vilnius, after a conversation with her counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Green politician said that Europe was "closely" behind the EU state.

"The coercive measures imposed by Beijing against Lithuania are unacceptable and we agree that they must be lifted," Baerbock continued.

Above all, Europe wants to support Lithuania in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The background to the dispute between Beijing and Vilnius is a decision made by Lithuania last year: Lithuania allowed the government of Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius under its own name instead of under the name of the Taiwanese capital Taipei, as is usually the case.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province and has been threatening military conquest of the democratically governed island for years.

China and Lithuania: Germany between the fronts

Beijing reacted to the Lithuanian decision with punitive economic measures against the Baltic state.

Business associations complained that imports of goods from Lithuania were being blocked and that the country was no longer listed in the Chinese customs system.

Also, parts for manufacturing could not be imported from China.

Because of the trade restrictions, the EU initiated proceedings against China at the World Trade Organization.

"This WTO approach shows how important it is to insist on international institutions and international law," said Baerbock. 

In the dispute, the German economy in Lithuania was caught between the fronts.

Germany is the fourth largest investor in the largest of the three Baltic States.

The automotive suppliers Continental and Hella are active there.

Baerbock emphasized that she was "glad to hear that not a single German company followed the threats and left Lithuania".

China and Lithuania: Also a topic at the EU-China summit

The German Foreign Ministry is currently working on a new China strategy.

Details are not yet known, but Baerbock had already committed himself to a value-oriented foreign policy during the election campaign and called for a mixture of "dialogue and toughness" towards China.

The conflict between Vilnius and Beijing was also a topic at the EU-China summit in early April.

"China must end its unjustified trade measures against Lithuania," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

(sh/dpa)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-04-22

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