China Opposes Visit Of Baltic Lawmakers To Taiwan - Foreign Ministry

China opposes any formal contacts between Taiwan and countries which maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday, commenting on the visit of members of Baltic parliaments to Taipei

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th November, 2021) China opposes any formal contacts between Taiwan and countries which maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday, commenting on the visit of members of Baltic parliaments to Taipei.

A delegation of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian lawmakers arrived in Taipei earlier in the day and met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. They are among the more than dozen European and Latin American lawmakers who will participate in the Open Parliament Forum from December 2-3, according to Taiwanese Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu.

"China is strongly opposed to any official and political contacts between Taipei and countries that have diplomatic relations with Beijing. This position has always been clear and consistent," Wang said at a briefing.

China calls on all countries concerned to exercise caution in their statements and actions, and stop sending misleading signals to forces seeking Taiwanese independence, the spokesman said.

China-Lithuania relations soured this year after the Lithuanian government allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in the country. On August 10, China recalled its ambassador from Vilnius, to which Lithuania responded reciprocally on September 4.

The Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius commenced operation on November 18, with Eric Huang appointed as the first Representative of Taiwan in Lithuania. China retaliated by downgrading bilateral diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the level of charge d'affaires.