TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — With regard to China’s threat to Taiwan, the world must respect a country’s right to self-determination, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Thursday (April 27).
Conflicts involving Taiwan must be resolved at the negotiating table and not through the use of force, Nauseda said.
The president, who is visiting Germany, said that following the establishment of the Taiwan representative office in Lithuania in 2021, tensions between Lithuania and China have increased, CNA reported. He said China’s response was excessive despite Lithuania reiterating that its "one China" policy remained the same.
Commenting on China’s attempt to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine war, Nauseda said he had no expectations. He pointed to Beijing’s support for Moscow in circumventing sanctions as a reason for the lack of trust.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday (April 26), expressing willingness to facilitate peace talks. Zelensky characterized Beijing’s intent to help as an “opportunity to use China’s political influence to restore the strength of the principles and rules on which peace should be based.”
However, Nauseda said that while Ukrainians are eager to end the bloody conflict, China must understand that Ukraine cannot compromise on its territorial integrity. He also urged the EU to send a clear message to Beijing that if it does not express a clear position on the war initiated by Russia, EU-China relations will be damaged.
