Taiwan accuses China of bullying Lithuania, calls for solidarity among like-minded countries

Taiwan has condemned China for bullying Lithuania and called for solidarity among democratic countries after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda's remarks about Taiwan's mission in Vilnius triggered tensions between the two nations.

Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has hailed the establishment of the country's representative office in Lithuania as a breakthrough in Taiwan's relations with Vilnius, as well as Europe, according to Taipei Times.

The embassy has opened in November last year.

Lithuanian President Nauseda said in an interview given to a local news outlet: "I think it was not the opening of the Taiwanese office that was a mistake, but the name, which was not coordinated with me."

The ministry strongly condemns China for using "despicable" means to exert political and economic pressure on Lithuania, spokeswoman Joanne Ou said as quoted by Taipei Times.

She added that the ministry is convinced that the solidarity of democratic countries would triumph over the bullying of an authoritarian regime.

The ministry reiterated its call on like-minded countries that cherish democracy, free trade and market economy to back Vilnius, so it would not succumb to Beijing's pressure, Ou said, as per Taipei Times.

Despite retaliatory sanctions imposed by China against Lithuania, Taiwan officially opened its new representative office in the Baltic state in November last year.

China has been acting against Lithuania over the latter's decision to allow the use of "Taiwanese" in Taipei's representative office.

Lithuania is facing increased pressure from China following its decision to open reciprocal representative offices with Taiwan. The new office will take over, with immediate effect, the responsibility of promoting relations between Taiwan and the Baltic state, as well as serving and protecting Taiwanese citizens in the country, said Focus Taiwan citing the release.

Taiwan is a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China.

Despite being governed separately for more than seven decades, China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war.

( With inputs from ANI )

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