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China sanctions Lithuanian deputy minister for visiting Taiwan

Move comes 1 day after Estonia and Latvia pull out of China-CECC initiative

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Lithuania Transport and Communications Vice Minister Agne Vaiciukeviciute. (Facebook, Agne Vaiciukeviciute photo)

Lithuania Transport and Communications Vice Minister Agne Vaiciukeviciute. (Facebook, Agne Vaiciukeviciute photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's foreign ministry has imposed sanctions on Lithuanian Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Agne Vaiciukeviciute in retaliation for her trip to Taiwan.

"The visit tramples on the one-China principle, seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs, and undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it said in a statement on Friday (Aug. 12). The foreign ministry added that China would end all exchanges with her ministry and suspend transportation cooperation with Lithuania.

Vaiciukeviciute led a delegation of 11 government officials and electric bus business representatives, to Taiwan in order to deepen bilateral exchanges related to smart and green transportation, 5G communications, and electric buses. The group met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), top government officials, and business representatives over their five-day visit from Aug. 7-11.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications said it regretted China's announcement. "Beijing is choosing to continue and intensify the course of illegal actions against (an) EU member state," Reuters quoted the ministry as saying.

"This is not only not conducive to the development of China's relations with the democratic world, but also reverses Beijing's own declared policy so far of not hindering the development of a mutually beneficial relationship with Taiwan, one of the world's most progressive economies," the ministry added.

Lithuania faced economic and political pressure from China last year, which was in response to its decision to let Taiwan open a representative office in its capital city, Vilnius. Beijing downgraded bilateral ties by recalling its ambassador and requested Lithuania to do the same.

The Baltic nation is set to open a trade office in Taipei next month. Vaiciukeviciute said the opening of the office would kickstart more bilateral economic and trade in the future.

Beijing’s announcement also comes as Estonia and Latvia announced their withdrawal from the Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CECC, formerly known as 17+1) on Thursday.