Taiwan MOFA thanks IPAC, ally nations for support against Chinese belligerence

Taiwan on Tuesday hailed the ally countries for defending and standing in solidarity with the island and Lithuania against the Chinese belligerence in a video statement issued by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) on September 14. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry made an official announcement regarding opening a representative office in Lithuania with the name "Taiwan" despite Beijing’s "One China" policy, a move widely backed by allies and partner countries including Washington but condemned by China’s Foreign office.

Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) on Tuesday called countries worldwide to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' for Lithuania and Taiwan in the face of Chinese pressure. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China is an international cross-party group of legislators from the globe working towards reforms on how democratic countries approach China to ensure free, open, and rules-based international order. IPAC on Tuesday revealed in an official statement on its website that it had asked the European chapter of the Formosa Club to send messages to the EU and NATO on August 25 to support Taipei and Lithuania, asserting the two nations “had the right to do what 15 other European nations had already done by establishing an office in Taipei.” 

“The only way to stop a bully [China] is to stand up to it,” IPAC said in an official statement. 

An official statement was made in a video launching a global call in favour of Taiwan, as it featured IPAC members from twelve legislatures across Europe, Japan, and Australia addressing the international community. “The legislators call on democratic states to stand ready to provide assistance to the Lithuanian government should it be subject to further punitive measures from Beijing,” they said in the video footage via Twitter. Global legislators derided China’s oppressive tactics on Taiwan as it slapped trade sanctions and threats against Lithuania. 

Video included some of the legislators from countries worldwide who were targeted by the Chinese government in recent months with sanctions. It included German Green Party MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, Chair of the European Parliament’s China delegation; former UK Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP; Lithuanian MP Dovilė Šakalienė and EPP MEP Miriam Lexman. Others in the footage included French En Marche Senator André Gattolin, Japanese Representative Shiori Yamao and Australian Senator Kimberley Kitching.

“By bullying Lithuania, Beijing hopes to send a warning to democracies across the world,” Irish Senator Malcolm Byrne asserted in the video.

Meanwhile, Reinhard Bütikofer MEP stressed that if Lithuania was punished by Beijing, “its democratic allies across the world must be ready to assist.”

"Taiwan has a vital role to play in the international community, and all states have the right to establish relations with Taiwan as they see fit,” said Representative Shiori Yamao. 

IPAC stated in an official statement, that the Chinese government has blocked Lithuanian exports, while the Party-State’s official media has been threatening that Lithuania will ‘pay the price’ for its actions.

Lithuania 'facing retribution' from Beijing 

IPAC derided the PRC for retaliatory sanctions against Lithuania saying that the country was “facing retribution for unilaterally pulling out of the "Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Country's (17+1)" initiative. IPAC members also lambasted Beijing for ethnic minority human rights violations in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and for recalling its ambassador from Vilnius after it set up its representative office bearing the name of “Taiwan" and not “Taipei." In the official statement released on September 14, IPAC informed that it “coordinated parliamentary activities urging governments to support the inclusion of Taiwan at the World Health Assembly, and a global call for solidarity with Australian wine producers hit by politically motivated Chinese government trade sanctions,” adding that it will lend full support to Taiwan. 

(Image: AP)