Senior U.S. official to visit Lithuania in show of support over Chinese 'coercion'

Avante

28/01/2022 22:24

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official will
visit Lithuania next week to discuss enhancing economic
cooperation with the small Baltic nation, which has faced
pressure from China for boosting ties with Taiwan.
    Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the
Environment Jose Fernandez will be in Vilnius from Sunday to
Tuesday, and in Brussels from Wednesday to Friday, where he will
also discuss efforts to counter economic "coercion" with EU
officials, the State Department said in a statement.    
    In Vilnius, he will discuss bilateral economic cooperation,
and U.S. "strong support for Lithuania in the face of political
pressure and economic coercion from the People’s Republic of
China," the statement said.
    Fernandez will be accompanied by U.S. Export-Import Bank
officials to discuss implementation of a $600 million memorandum
of understanding to expand opportunities for U.S. exporters and
Lithuanian buyers in areas such as high-tech manufacturing,
business services and renewable energy, according to the
statement.
    In Brussels, Fernandez will discuss transatlantic trade and
investment through the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council, the
statement said.
    The United States, which is seeking to push back against
growing Chinese influence worldwide, has backed Lithuania in its
dispute with China over Taiwan, a self-ruled island Beijing
claims as its own.
    China downgraded its diplomatic relationship with Lithuania
and pressed multinationals to sever ties with the country after
Taiwan opened a representative office in Vilnius last year
called the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, rather
than using the word Taipei as is more common.
    EU authorities launched a challenge at the World Trade
Organization (WTO) on Thursday, accusing China of discriminatory
trade practices against EU member Lithuania that they say
threaten the integrity of the bloc's single market.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2U71GE
    Lithuania's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it hopes its 
trade dispute with China will be solved with consultations
between China and the EU.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nO9N2R402O

 (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; Editing by
Cynthia Osterman)
 ((david.brunnstrom@thomsonreuters.com; +1-202 354 5835;
Twitter: @davidbrunnstrom;))