Slovenia could be the next country from emerging Europe to open a representative office in Taiwan, following similar moves in recent months by several others.
China's ambassador to Estonia Li Chao said on Friday (December 3) he is disturbed by the meeting between legislators from the Baltic States and the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Tsai Ing-wen in Tapei on Monday.
Lithuania, arguably one of the most vocal supporters of Taiwan in Europe, remains a target of Chinese tools of negative economic statecraft. In retaliation for the Baltic nation allowing Taiwan to open a representative office in its capital, China deleted Lithuania from its customs registry and has allegedly instigated a corporate boycott, instructing multinationals to sever ties with the country.
Given that cereals constitute the largest export product of Lithuania to China, farmers and food producers have been hit particularly hard through the ongoing spat.
Consequently, as Taiwan seeks to capitalize on the newfound openness in its relations with central and eastern
Estonia should leave the 16+1 Chinese and Eastern Europe cooperation format and consider strengthening economic relationships with Taiwan, the Riigikogu's Foreign Committee chairman Marko Mihkelson (Reform) has said.
Nicaragua dealt a blow to Taiwan and the US when it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, but it also created an opportunity for Taiwan to recalibrate its foreign policy.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government on Thursday declared it was severing relations with Taipei and said that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. Ortega in 1985 also cut ties with Taiwan, although his successor, Violeta Barrios Torres de Chamorro, resumed recognition in 1990.
The announcement caught Taipei somewhat off-guard, as the government over the past few weeks had seemed more worried about maintaining ties with Honduras. For the US, it