FILE - In this record photograph released by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eric Huang, recently appointed manager to the typical office, 3rd from right, poses with different staffers extracurricular the Taiwan Representative Office successful Vilinius, Lithuania connected Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. China connected Sunday, Nov. 21, reduced its authoritative relations with Lithuania to beneath ambassador level aft Taiwan, the land ideology that Beijing claims arsenic portion of its ain territory, was allowed to unfastened a typical bureau successful the Baltic nation. (Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP, File) (Uncredited, Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

BEIJING – China reduced the level of its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to beneath ambassador level Sunday successful retaliation for the Baltic federation allowing Taiwan, the land ideology claimed by Beijing arsenic portion of its territory, to unfastened a typical office.

China earlier expelled the Lithuanian ambassador, reflecting its aggravated sensitivity implicit the presumption of Taiwan, which Beijing says has nary close to behaviour overseas affairs. China besides withdrew its ain ambassador from Lithuania.

The overseas ministry said relations would beryllium downgraded to the level of complaint d’affaires, an embassy’s No. 2 official.

Lithuania’s determination reflects increasing involvement among governments successful expanding ties with Taiwan, a large trader and halfway for high-tech industry, astatine a clip erstwhile Beijing has irritated its neighbors and Western governments with an progressively assertive overseas and subject policy.

Taiwan and the mainland person been ruled separately since 1949 pursuing a civilian war.

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The overseas ministry accused Lithuania of “undermining Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity.” It called connected the Lithuanian authorities to “correct the mistakes immediately.”

Beijing refuses to person authoritative relations with governments that admit Taiwan arsenic a sovereign country. It has persuaded each but 15 countries, astir of them tiny and mediocre successful Africa and Latin America, to power designation to the mainland.

Many governments, including the United States and Japan, person authoritative diplomatic ties with Beijing portion maintaining extended commercialized ties with Taiwan. Many support relations with the island’s democratically elected authorities done commercialized offices that service arsenic informal embassies.

Lithuania broke with diplomatic customized by agreeing that the Taiwanese bureau successful Vilnius would carnivore the sanction Taiwan alternatively of Chinese Taipei, a word utilized by different countries to debar offending Beijing.

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Lithuania said earlier it plans to unfastened its ain typical bureau successful Taiwan.

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