Slovenia has become the latest tiny European country to take a pop at giant China over Taiwan, with plans to strengthen trade ties with the self-ruling island.
The foreign ministry of Taiwan on Tuesday confirmed plans with the Balkan nation to set up trade offices in each other's territory, announced by Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša on Monday — a move that threatens to further fuel ongoing EU tensions with Beijing over Lithuania's warming diplomatic ties with Taipei, which prompted China to unleash a strict trade embargo.
Referring to Taiwan as a "democratic country," Janša told Indian public broadcaster Doordarshan that Slovenia and Taiwan are "working on establishing [an] exchange [of] representatives. Of course, this would not be the level of embassies. It would be the same level [that] many of the EU member countries [have with Taiwan]."
Janša also said he'd support the "sovereign decision" of Taiwanese people should they "want to live independently."
The Chinese government has not yet publicly commented on Janša's remarks, but it has repeatedly warned EU countries not to recognize Taiwan diplomatically under the "one China" policy, which considers the self-ruling island part of its territory. It has also ramped up military threats against Taiwan in recent months, as the current government there pursues a more pro-independence agenda.
Janša criticized Beijing's response to Lithuania's relations with Taiwan as "terrifying" and "ridiculous." Last August, Vilnius authorized Taiwan’s request to set up a “Taiwanese” representative office in the country, but using that name offended Beijing, which prefers “Taipei” instead.
"Frankly speaking, there is a vast majority of the EU member countries holding some kind of representative offices with Taiwan. And Lithuania is not [an] exemption," Janša said. "There are some slight differences in naming, but it is not important. I think that China protested every time when some European countries established such offices, but they never went so far as they did in this case, and it is terrifying; it’s terrifying trying to isolate countries, a small country, who also fought for its independence 30 years ago."
He added that China's continued threats to Vilnius — including its de facto ban on most trade from there as well as pressure on other EU companies dealing with Lithuania — won't deter Slovenia in its plans.
"Formally, European Union backs Lithuania. Any kind of … pressure on Lithuania and some other countries in Europe will not benefit China’s government," Janša said. "Good relations, good trade relations are in common interests. If one side is trying to hurt [these] relations, maybe they could benefit on short term, but on long term, they are all losers."
Janša wouldn't say, however, whether Slovenia plans to remain part of the so-called 16+1 group led by Beijing that includes Central and Eastern European countries but which Lithuania quit last year.
He also hit out at Beijing's initial handling of the coronavirus pandemic. "We surely know that China didn’t behave in good faith in the beginning. We were not informed what was really happening," Janša said. "I think we have to discuss these issues and make the Chinese authorities accountable."
English (US) ·