A letter by 41 members of the European Parliament from 18 countries backing Taiwan-Lithuania ties is sincerely welcomed by the government and people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan. 19.
Initiated by Miriam Lexmann, co-chair of the EP Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China from Slovakia, the letter was sent to European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and three other EC executives.
In the letter, the MEPs resolutely condemned China’s economic and political coercion against Lithuania’s decision to exchange representative offices with Taiwan, and called on EU leaders to demonstrate solidarity with the member state while providing all necessary support.
In addition, the MEPs described as deplorable China’s unofficial sanctions banning Lithuanian products and those from other countries containing components produced in the Baltic state.
The EU must address such actions as they violate World Trade Organization rules, as well as directly impact underlying principles of the EU single market, the MEPs added.
This is not the first time China has used coercion against EU member states, the MEPs said, citing pressure applied against Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil in connection with his 2020 visit to Taiwan.
The MOFA said the latest letter follows the one sent Sept. 3, 2021, from 62 MEPs to Lithuania’s government expressing a similar stance. Such strong backing is deeply appreciated, the ministry added.
As a force for good in the world, the MOFA said, Taiwan will continue to deepen ties with Lithuania and work with like-minded partners to ensure supply chain security and rules-based international order while defending the shared values of democracies.
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “Rock-solid support for #Lithuania in the face of #PRC coercion from @MiriamMLex & 40 @Europarl_EN MEPs! Cooperation & unity are key in safeguarding the right of #EU member states to freely pursue relations with countries like #Taiwan & countering #China’s authoritarianism.” (SFC-E)
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