View of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania Photo: VCG

China's firm and necessary response to Lithuania's actions that undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully reasonable and legitimate, said spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) on Saturday in response to a question concerning the joint statement on Lithuania's relations with the island of Taiwan.

Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees of 13 European and US Parliaments issued a joint statement on Friday. The statement welcomes Lithuania's intention to develop "economic relations" with Taiwan, criticizes China's so-called aggressive behavior on Lithuania and calls on their governments, the EU and other allies to fully support Lithuania. 

"Some people try to downplay Lithuania's wrong acts as developing economic relations with Taiwan, while accusing China's legitimate response to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity as aggressive actions and interference in Lithuania's internal affairs. Without any logic behind, such an accusation intends to call white black and violates basic norms in international relations," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the Lithuanian Government's decision to allow Taiwan authorities to open a "representative office" under the name of "Taiwan" is a flagrant violation of the spirit of the communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Lithuania, and also severely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Lithuania has been playing 'victim' after China responded firmly to its provocative acts on the Taiwan question, trying to create an impression that China is bullying small countries and win over the sympathy from the international community," Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Saturday.

The spokesperson also said that China urges the EU and those concerned to maintain a correct position on Taiwan-related issues, uphold international fairness and justice and refrain from sending wrong signals on issues involving China's core interests and creating new problems for China-EU relations.

"We must set strict bottom lines and rules on the core issues to stop some ill-intentioned countries from arbitrarily interpreting the one-China principle as an international consensus," Cui said.

Global Times