An EU country is defiantly reaffirming its stance on China, declaring the nation as both a partner and a rival. Despite strong warnings from Beijing, Estonia is doubling down on its decision to allow Taiwan to establish a representative office in Tallinn.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna emphasised the country’s openness to Taipei creating non-diplomatic economic or cultural representations in the capital.
However, he clarified that Estonia does not formally recognise Taiwan as a state, in line with the One China Policy.
China has escalated diplomatic pressure on Estonia, urging strict adherence to the one-China principle and cautioning against any official organisation being set up by Taiwan in Tallinn.
China vehemently claims Taiwan as its own, and any recognition of the island’s sovereignty is met with sensitivity.
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Tsahkna underscored that Estonia’s decision aligns with EU policy, emphasising the importance of a unified EU approach to China. The move is seen as part of Estonia’s broader strategy to cooperate with like-minded partners and promote a unified stance among democracies.
He told Euronews: “As many other European Union countries, Estonia is ready to accept the creation of Taipei’s non-diplomatic economic or cultural representations.”
“Estonia does not recognise Taiwan as a state. As part of the ‘One China Policy’, we are not developing political relations with Taiwan,” he added.
“At the same time, we consider it important to boost relations in domains such as the economy, education, culture, relations between NGOs, and other similar fields.
“We also support Taiwan’s participation in international life in areas of global importance, such as the fight against pandemics and Taiwan’s attendance at the World Health Assembly,” he added.
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“Developing relations of this kind is not in conflict with the ‘One China policy.”
He continued: “In our relations with China, our aim is a unified policy of the European Union and the development of broad cooperation with like-minded partners, mainly our transatlantic allies. The more unified we are in our policy towards China, the better for all democracies.
“As the European Union, we have declared we consider China a partner, a competitor and a rival. All these aspects must be taken into consideration in our policy towards China.”
Lithuania also faced economic repercussions from China after allowing Taiwan to establish a de facto embassy in Vilnius in 2021. Despite Lithuania standing firm, there are indications of a potential softening of its Taiwan policy.
Estonia stressed the need for a constructive relationship with Beijing, focusing on addressing global challenges and resolving differences peacefully. The country urged China to adhere to a rules-based world order and not support Russia’s aggression. Fundamental values, including democracy and human rights, remain at the forefront of Estonia’s communication with Chinese representatives.
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