Lithuanian PM thanks EU for strong support over China's actions

VILNIUS – Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on Thursday thanked EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis for taking action over China's pressure on Lithuania.

"Thank you for standing up for the EU Single Market," she tweeted. "Pressure, restrictions and threats are incompatible with WTO rules and values of the free world".

Earlier on Thursday, Dombrovskis said the European Commission had launched a case at the World Trade Organization against China over its discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania over its stance on Taiwan.

The EU's request for consultations says that China's restrictions violate the organization's rules on trade in goods and services.

Relations between Lithuania and China turned sour after Vilnius allowed Taiwan to call its representative office "Taiwanese" rather than "Taipei's". 

Last November, China officially downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania to the level of chargé d’affaires.

As the diplomatic row escalated, Lithuanian businesses said they were facing various trade restrictions from China, which Vilnius officials described as "undeclared sanctions".