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Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
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10 Aug, 5 tweets, 2 min read
BREAKING!

"China recalled its Ambassador to Lithuania and demanded the Lithuanian Government recall its Ambassador to China."

This is over Vilnius' "decision to allow the Taiwan authorities to open a "representative office" under the name of Taiwan"

fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_6…
In statement posted to its Beijing Embassy site, Lithuania confirms the move

Lithuania "regrets this move by China & reiterates that while respecting the principle of one China it is determined to develop mutually beneficial relations with Taiwan"

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
Interesting comment from Wang Yiwei, director of Centre for European Studies at Renmin Uni

“The next step will be to cut ties if Lithuania is to go further and establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan.”

No indication this is the plan for Lithuania.

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
EU spox @NabilaEUspox tells us the EU does "not regard the opening of a representative office in or from Taiwan (as opposed to an Embassy or Consulate) as a breach of the EU’s One China policy".

First time China recalled an EU member Amb for this reason

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
"It is rare to see small countries... specifically seek to worsen relations with major powers. I believe that Lithuania will eventually pay the price for its evil deed of breaking international rules."

Hu Xijin's msg to Lithuania = be like Switzerland

globaltimes.cn/page/202108/12…

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More from @fbermingham

Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
11 Aug
Spent yesterday speaking to Lithuanian politicians about the diplomatic row with China.

Report here.

scmp.com/news/china/art…
For some there was resolve not to allow the recall of China's ambassador to intimidate Vilnius.

“We don’t respond well to threats. We survived a Communist regime for over half a century, we won't allow China or Belarus or Russia to somehow dictate that,” said @DSakaliene
Chair of the foreign affairs committee @ZygisPavilionis accused China of "double standards"

"We want mutual respect. We have the same rights as Germans, French, Italians, Belgium or Dutch. If they develop their economic relations with Taiwan, they seek the respect from China"
Read 7 tweets
Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
25 Jul
NEW: Xinjiang's exports to the EU soared by 131% in the first half of 2021, led by surges in some goods that have been flagged as being linked to forced labour by the United States

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
The EU currently has no ban on such goods but is processing supply chain legislation that would seek to remove goods linked to forced labour from the market.

Shipments came off a low base due to Covid shutdowns last year, but are up 103.5% on 2019's levels
Germany bought 143% more goods from Xinjiang in the first six months vs a year earlier, exports to Italy rose 32% and the Netherlands 187%, and Belgium 1,591%

Post Brexit UK bought 192.2% more goods from Xinjiang in the first half of 2021
Read 7 tweets
Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
28 Mar
🚨EXCLUSIVE🚨

While the world wakes up to the textiles industry's hazardous position on Xinjiang cotton, our investigation reveals a whole new thread that could further upend the industry: viscose rayon.

scmp.com/news/china/art…
Viscose is the world's third most commonly used fabric - and up to 18% of it is made in Xinjiang, where it is often mixed with cotton and then fans out around the world, barely traceable in the global supply chain
Our analysis of customs records, satellite imagery, govt documents and interviews with sources on the ground in Xinjiang uncover deep links between the region's biggest producer - Zhongtai Chemical - and XPCC, the sanctioned, quasi-military entity that runs parts of Xinjiang
Read 12 tweets
Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
22 Mar
BREAKING!

China sanctions 10 EU individuals and four entities in response to EU sanctions over Xinjiang
MEPs: Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Raphaël Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Miriam Lexmann, Sjoerd Wiemer Sjoerdsma of the Dutch Parliament, Samuel Cogolati of the Belgian Federal Parliament, Dovile Sakaliene of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania,
German scholar Adrian Zenz, Swedish scholar Björn Jerdén, Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU, Subcommittee on Human Rights of the EU Parliament, the Mercator Institute for China Studies (!) in Germany, and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation in Denmark
Read 10 tweets
Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
22 Mar
Breaking: Brussels' first sanctions on China since Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1989 slapped into place

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
Four officials targeted are Zhu Hailun, ex-Sec of Xinjiang Political & Legal Affairs Committee, Wang Junzhung, Party Sec of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Wang Mingshan, member of XUAR Standing Committee, Chen Mingguo, Director, Xinjiang Public Security Bureau
Notable by absence is Chen Quanguo, the CCP chief in Xinjiang who is seen as the mastermind of the network of internment camps, and who is a member of the Politburo standing committee.

In Dec 19, he became the most senior Chinese official sanctioned by the United States
Read 7 tweets
Finbarr Bermingham Profile picture
20 Mar
Xinjiang sanctions from the EU are not enough to convince MEPs to support the EU-China investment deal - my latest with Liu Zhen

scmp.com/news/china/dip…
Wang Yiwei Renmin hoped that the sanctions might provide “necessary balance” for Brussels in gaining approval for its deal with Beijing.

But European Parliamentarians have other ideas...
"What we would need to ratify the CAI, apart from the CCP commitment to ratify ILO standards, are concrete measures such as a European supply chain law and an EU-wide ban on imports of products from forced labour," said @EnginEroglu_FW
Read 6 tweets

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