IN FOCUS
By Dincy Adlakha

Lithuania and Taiwan: A tie that makes China uneasy 

Recent developments
Lithuania and Taiwan have been hinting at their growing relations from the past few months. China has responded by calling these attempts of closeness as violation of norms of international relations and even warned both parties of consequences.
On 18 November, Lithuania finally opened an official ‘Taiwan Representative Office’. On 28 November, China degraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania by reducing them from ambassadorial level to the level of  charge d’affaires. 

On 24 November, the Foreign Ministry of Taiwan announced that a delegation from the ‘friendship group’ of Lithuanian Parliament will visit Taipei on 2-3 December. The same decision was hailed by representatives from Lithuania. The group will be accompanied by some colleagues from Estonia and Latvia.

Taiwan’s strategy
Although Taiwan has representative offices in many countries, it has formal diplomatic ties with only 15 countries. Other offices in Europe, United States, and even India utilise the city name ‘Taipei’ and are majorly along the lines of ‘economic and cultural representative office’. Being a stable economy, the island enjoys strong economic ties with many western countries, even having lobbying groups and representatives in their parliaments.  
However, as the pressure from Chinese military and foreign domains increases for reunification, Taiwan has increasingly seeked further connections. It has hosted delegations from Australia, New Zealand and sent representatives on Europe tours. 
A major push for such moves comes from the Taiwanese leadership, President Tsai Ing-wen. She has forged alliances and connections with powerful international players as an attempt to bandwagon against China. 

Lithuania’s intentions
Even though the Prime Minister of Lithuania emphasised compliance to ‘One-China’ policy by saying: “Lithuania wants a more intense economic, cultural and scientific relationship with Taiwan. "[But] I want to emphasise that this step does not mean any conflict or disagreement with the 'One China' policy,” Lithuania has continued to anger China. Despite receiving multiple warnings, it went ahead with opening the diplomatic office and even after the degradation of relations from China, it is exchanging diplomats under ‘friendship’ intentions with Taiwan. 
This reveals, in the words of their ‘Taiwan friendship group’ leader, that Lithuania wants to “send a signal to Taiwan that it has friends in this part of the world.” Lithuania also asked its citizens to throw away Chinese phones and stop purchasing these products from the market. Built-in flaws in the Xiomi phone and security flaws in Huawei phones were the official reason stated for the advice. However, experts say that the reason was rooted also in political distrust.

Lithuania has great benefits in befriending the largest producer of semiconductor chips. Additionally, many central European countries are getting closer to Taiwan including Czech Republic as they are a bit wary of the Chinese projects and plans invading their markets. Furthermore, Lithuania has received support from the US as well in closing up with Taiwan.

China’s response
Beijing has been feeling uneasy about the growing connections of Taiwan for a while now. It has expressed its discontent and anger multiple times. China emphasises on One China policy and One China Principle. The policy asks for diplomatic acknowledgment of only one Chinese government and the principle suggests that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, waiting to be reunified. China has used strong words to oppose any deviations from these. It maintains that these moves are clear violations of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. China will not make it easy for Taiwan or its connections and is aggressively hinting at reunification.

References
“Lithuanian lawmakers to visit Taiwan, deepening China spat,” Reuters, 24 November 2021
“China downgrades diplomatic ties with Lithuania over Taiwan row,” BBC, 23 November 2021
“Lithuania urges people to throw away Chinese phones,” BBC, 22 September 2021

IN BRIEF
By Avishka Ashok and Keerthana Nambiar

INTERNAL
President Xi Jinping emphasizes on the development of science, technology, electricity system and system of schools
On 24 November, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the 22nd meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform. President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of speeding up the management system in the science and technology sectors. Xi urged the requirement of a system wherein principals will assume overall responsibilities in middle and primary schools under the leadership of Communist of China Party organizations. President Xi also called in for following “the rules of electricity market operation and market economy, improving the overall planning of the electricity market, and allowing electricity resources to be shared and better allocated in broader areas across the country,” reported Xinhua. (“Xi urges sci-tech management system reform, development of unified electricity market system,” Xinhua Net, 24 November 2021)

China announces vaccinating 1.08 billion citizens
On 25 November, China’s top respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan addressed the China Internet Media Forum and announced that the country had vaccinated 76.8 per cent of the total population with the aim of achieving herd immunity by the year end. While insinuating at the failure to prevent large scale deaths caused by the pandemic due to the larger importance given to personal freedoms, he said: “What we need is collective freedom, social freedom and national freedom. Only with these freedoms can we have individual freedom." (“China fully vaccinates 1.08 billion people, accounting for 76.8% of population: Top respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan,” Global Times, 25 November 2021)

Ministry of Industry and Information restricts Tencent Holdings
On 24 November, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology ordered the app stores and other platforms to suspend Tencent Holdings’ apps from their portals and prevent any new updates or launches. It issues a strong order and prevented Tencent from making any changes to its existing apps. (“China suspends Tencent from updating existing apps or launching new apps: report,” South China Morning Post, 24 November 2021)

China works towards plans for reducing methane emissions
On 25 November, Lu Xinming, a vice-director at the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced that China is taking key steps to reduce the methane emission led by a 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Lu said, “ China will investigate the situation of methane emission control and study and formulate effective emission reduction measures in the fields of coal mining, agriculture, urban solid waste, sewage treatment, and oil and natural gas,” stated Global Times. (“China specifies plans to reduce methane emission,” Global Times, 25 November 2021)

REGIONAL
Japan-Vietnam reaffirm ties eying China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific
On 24 November, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Japan and met with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister. The leaders of both countries expressed serious concerns about the tense situation in the South China Sea and Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. Kishida opened his remarks quoting, “Vietnam is an important partner who holds a key to achieving “a free and open Indo-Pacific,” and further added that the vision was aimed that countering China’s rise. According to a statement released by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, “They reaffirmed the importance of sustaining peace, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflights above the South China Sea, and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.” (“Japan, Vietnam express serious concern about South China Sea,” Japan Today, 25 November 2021)

INTERNATIONAL
Chinese and Iranian Foreign Ministers held talks in a video conference
On 24 November, Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi held a video conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amor Abdollahian. As 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iran both the representatives reiterated their relationship. Abdollahian pointed out that Iran is completely opposed to the interference in China’s internal matters and condemns the politicization of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. Wang said, “the so-called summit for democracy proposed by the US is to instigate division under the banner of democracy, which goes against the trend of the times and is doomed to fail.” Both sides also exchanged views on the Iran nuclear issue and Wang assured Abdollahian that China supports Iran’s “reasonable demands.” (“Iran condemns politicization of sports events and opposes interference in China’s internal affairs: Chinese-Iranian FM video meeting,” Global Times, 25 November 2021)

China and the US celebrates 50 years of Ping-pong Diplomacy
On 24 November, Xinhua Net reported that the US and Chinese celebrated the 50th anniversary of the “Ping Pong Diplomacy” in Houston. The event was called “Celebrating the past for a better future” was organized by the US National Committee on US-China Relations, the Table Tennis Association of China and the US, the Chinese Ambassador to the US and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The meeting emphasized the importance of encouraging mutual understanding and friendly relations between the two countries. The President of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said: "The new era in the relations between our two countries send a message of peace that resonated around the globe." (“Chinese, U.S. table tennis communities celebrate 50th anniversary of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy",” Xinhua Net, 24 November 2021)

Financial Times report claims block of public access to maritime shipping data
On 24 November, the Strait Times referred to a report by the Financial Times and announced that China was blocking public access to shipping locations because the government sought to control the economic data of the country due to national security concerns. According to the report, the Automatic Identification System figures dropped by 14 million per day when compared to the October figures. The media outlets investigating the decline connect the shift to the warning issued of 1 November against the danger and harm to the security sector caused by the data. (“China blocks access to maritime shipping data: Media report, East Asia News & Top Stories,” The Strait Times, 24 November 2021)