China urges Estonia not to allow opening of Taiwan office

TALLINN - Spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin urged Estonia on Wednesday not to allow Taiwan to open any official organizations in the country.

"China urges the Estonian side to abide by its solemn commitment to the one-China principle, refrain from allowing Taiwan to set up any official organizations and effectively safeguard the political basis of bilateral relations," the ministry spokesperson told a regular press briefing, as reported by Reuters.

China's ambassador to Estonia, Guo Xiaomei, told a meeting with chairman of the Estonia-China parliamentary group Toomas Kivimagi that she may leave the country if Taiwan opens such an office.

The meeting in the Riigikogu took place at the initiative of the Chinese ambassador, who expressed her concern to Kivimagi about the visit of Taiwan's foreign minister to Estonia this Wednesday and the government's decision to allow the opening of a Taipei representative office in Estonia.

The government at a Cabinet meeting last Thursday decided that a representative office of Taipei can be opened in Estonia, which does not develop political relations with Taiwan, but is intended to promote mutual economic, educational and cultural communication. It is important to note that this is not a representation of Taiwan, but of its capital, Taipei, which indicates that it is not a diplomatic representation. The government's decision gives Taiwan the opportunity to open such a representative office if there is interest.

Such representative offices of Taipei have been opened in nearly 20 European countries.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu was in Estonia on Wednesday, Nov. 8,  to participate in a roundtable discussion organized by the International Center for Defense and Security in Tallinn. Wu is not visiting Estonia at the invitation of the republic's government or foreign minister and, as a result of the one-China policy, will not meet with any members of the government.