The Chinese language international ministry accused Lithuania of undermining its sovereignty and warned of potential countermeasures.
China on Monday criticised Lithuania’s determination to expel three Chinese language diplomats, with a international ministry spokesman labelling the transfer as “wanton and provocative” as relations between the 2 international locations deteriorate additional.
The spokesperson for Beijing accused Lithuania of expelling the diplomats and declaring them persona non grata “with none motive,” in line with a international ministry assertion.
The diplomatic row coincides with an investigation into the suspected involvement of a Chinese language vessel in severing two undersea information cables within the Baltic Sea, together with one linking Lithuania and Sweden. The Swedish authorities has requested China’s cooperation in figuring out the reason for the cables’ rupture
Lithuania introduced on Friday that it had declared “three members of the non-accredited workers” at China’s diplomatic mission persona non grata, ordering them to depart inside per week.
The Lithuanian international ministry didn’t present additional particulars, citing solely the Vienna Conference on Diplomatic Relations and different worldwide legal guidelines.
The Baltic nation additionally acknowledged that the presence of different Chinese language diplomatic workers in Lithuania could be determined “within the close to future”.
The spokesperson for China’s international ministry accused Lithuania of “once more taken detrimental motion that additional exacerbates the relations”.
“China calls on Lithuania to right away cease undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and cease creating problem for bilateral relations,” the spokesperson stated, warning that Beijing reserved the correct to take countermeasures.
Neither international ministry made particular reference to the Chinese language ship within the Baltic.
The dispute comes three years after China downgraded its diplomatic ties with Lithuania to under ambassador degree in retaliation for Lithuania’s determination to permit Taiwan to open a consultant workplace in Vilnius.
Beijing views Taiwan as a part of its territory and prohibits different international locations from sustaining official relations with the island.
