Companies Weary of Trade With China: Lithuania Foreign Minister

NTD Newsroom
By NTD Newsroom
December 8, 2023China in Focus
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Unease over doing business with China extending to the Baltic states.

Lithuania’s foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says two years after a major run-in companies in his nation are still concerned about trading with Beijing.

In 2021, Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de-facto embassy on its soil called a Taiwanese representative office.

The Chinese Communist regime lashed out over the opening dumping a trade ban on Lithuania and recalling its ambassador. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of mainland Chinese territory and strongly rebukes any official engagement between the island and foreign countries. The regime has never ruled Taiwan.

Trade relations quickly crumbled after the ban. Chinese imports plunged 99.8 percent in early 2022. Spurring the European Union to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization against China. The case has not been resolved.

Mr. Landsbergis has noted that Beijing removed “most” of its trade restrictions, but called it a “huge trust issue” on Dec. 4.

China still defends its response as “legitimate.” Beijing continues flexing military might over Taiwan. Sending aircraft to cross the unofficial divide between Taiwan and China on Thursday in a rare night-time flight.

Taiwan is preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections in January.