OREANDA-NEWS. Beijing recalled its ambassador from Vilnius due to Lithuania's intention to open a representative office of Taiwan. This was announced on Tuesday by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

According to the statement, "the Lithuanian government, ignoring repeated diplomatic representations and China's instructions on possible consequences, has declared that it will allow the Taiwan administration to establish a representative office on behalf of Taiwan."

Beijing also asked Vilnius to recall the Lithuanian ambassador from China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

The conflict between China and Lithuania began back in February-March of this year, when the Lithuanian Sejm (parliament) announced its intention to initiate an international investigation into the situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of the PRC, as well as plans to open a representative office of Taiwan in Vilnius and refuse from the purchase of Chinese equipment, which, according to the Lithuanian side, has espionage functions. "Lithuania has decided not to be part of the technosphere, which is being created and controlled by China," Laurynas Kasciunas, head of the parliamentary committee for national security and defense, said in March.

Thus, Vilnius in its policy adheres to the course of the United States and the EU, aimed at opposing China. In particular, Lithuania supported the EU sanctions imposed in March against China in connection with the situation in the XUAR.

In March, China imposed retaliatory sanctions against the European Union, and four Lithuanian citizens were included in the list of those under sanctions. Then the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry protested to the Chinese ambassador in Vilnius. After the Lithuanian side in March announced its intention to open a representative office of Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that "we insist that Lithuania adhere to the principle of" one China. "

Previously, Vilnius actively developed relations with the PRC. Participation of Lithuania in the Belt and Road project was discussed, and Chinese investments in Lithuania, in particular, in its port infrastructure were discussed. In November 2018, then President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite paid an official visit to China and met with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.