Lithuania hit with China export ban as minister speaks out
China has suspended beef imports from Lithuania while the European nation’s Foreign Minister is in Australia speaking out against Beijing’s trade coercion.
China has suspended beef imports from Lithuania while the European nation’s Foreign Minister is in Australia speaking out against Beijing’s trade coercion.
China’s General Administration of Customs announced the suspension on Wednesday, but gave no reason for it.
On the same day, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis stood alongside Australian counterpart Marise Payne, saying the countries were part of an “exclusive club” to face weaponised Chinese trade bans.
Mr Landsbergis, whose nation angered China by boosting its relations with Taiwan, intensified his criticism of the authoritarian state on Thursday, accusing it of bullying his nation of just 2.7 million people.
But he warned: “Lithuania is not an easy country to bully, mainly because we met some bullies before.
“Lithuania has built resilience, and that can be used as an example for other countries.”
China suspended diplomatic relations with Lithuania when it allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in the country in August last year.
The European Commission says Lithuanian exports to China fell 91 per cent in December compared to the same month in 2020.
Mr Landsbergis told the National Press Club that his country would not reverse its decision to allow Taiwan’s office in Vilnius to be officially named the “Taiwanese Representative Office”, rather than identifying it as an office of the “Taipei” representative, as Australia and most other countries do.
China is the world's top importer of beef but bought less than 2000 tonnes of the meat from Lithuania in 2020.
Beijing slapped trade bans on $20bn of Australian products, including beef, barley, wine, seafood, timber and coal, after the Morrison government called in 2020 for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19.
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