立陶宛与台湾关系升温,遭中国用外交、贸易手段报复。美国国会近日升级支持立陶宛力道,由参议院外交领袖提出决议案,赞许立陶宛与台湾发展关系,并鼓励欧洲持续与立陶宛站在一起。
立陶宛与台湾今年相继宣布互设代表机构计划,由于台湾驻立陶宛代表处将是欧洲首个以“台湾”为名的代表机构,北京8月召回驻立陶宛大使以示抗议,并持续透过各样经贸、外交手段对立陶宛施压。
美国行政、立法部门多次发声支持立、台发展关系。美国国务卿布林肯(Antony Blinken)8月底亲电立陶宛外长蓝斯柏吉斯(Gabrielius Landsbergis),强调美国对立陶宛的支持如铁一般坚定(ironclad);参议院外委会主席梅南德兹(Bob Menendez)9月中接见蓝斯柏吉斯,也谈到立陶宛勇敢支持台湾的努力。
参议院外委会共和党籍首席议员里契(Jim Risch)4日协同民主党籍参院外委会欧洲与区域安全合作小组主席夏亨(Jeanne Shaheen),提出一项决议案,升级美国国会支持立陶宛力道。决议案赞许立陶宛政府增进与台湾关系的决心,并对立陶宛对抗中共胁迫的坚定立场表达支持。
决议案以澳洲、南韩、菲律宾及挪威为例指出,中国长期透过经济胁迫惩罚不听话的国家,其中澳洲红酒、农产品遭禁止进口中国,只因澳洲支持国际调查COVID-19(2019冠状病毒疾病)疫情源头。
除把贸易当成武器,中国也惯用经济实力利诱他国。决议案指出,中共经常施压利诱台湾邦交国外交转向,包括2019年9月与台湾断交的索罗门群岛、吉里巴斯;北京也不断阻挡台湾参与重要国际组织,为的就是在外交上孤立台湾。
在这些背景下,决议案赞许立陶宛决定与台湾深化关系、对抗中共胁迫施压,并承诺在立、台面临挑战时给予支持,包含寻求能与两国提升经济合作的方式。决议案呼吁欧洲盟友持续与立陶宛站在一起,对抗中国政府侵略,也鼓励立陶宛企业与北京以外的可信赖伙伴,寻求投资与成长机会。
决议案强调,中国对台湾的恶意影响、胁迫与侵略作为,不只对台湾人民与印太国家造成威胁,也威胁到世上任何政策或立场与中共不符的国家。
(中央社记者徐薇婷华盛顿5日专电)
#China is, and has to be, our major foreign policy issue. People need to roll up their sleeves and commit to doing this for the long term. The only way it gets done is if we – Washington, and our allies around the world – all #StandTogetherOnChina.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) November 20, 2021
More:*****UioAJRKla2 pic.twitter.com/A2gMhj8JH1
Another fantastic step in Lithuania's efforts to stand up to up to the bullying and coercion of the #CCP and strengthen their relationship with Taiwan.
— Rep. August Pfluger (@RepPfluger) November 18, 2021
The U.S. will continue to support our friends and allies: #Lituania & #Taiwan *****m5wpJ3VlF1
I'm glad to see #Lithuania open its #Taiwan Relations Office. Free nations around the world must stand by Taiwan as a model of democracy in the #IndoPacific, & must defend one another from #CCP pressure.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) November 18, 2021
I outlined this & more in my recent resolution: *****JyGudV9xKj
Starting today in #Vilnius! ? High level forum on resisting authoritarianism - Future of Democracy #FoD2021.
— Lithuania MFA (@LithuaniaMFA) November 20, 2021
The Forum is convened in response to the worrying trends of contracting democratic space and authoritarian entrenchment.
Follow *****Gw3x4j88Zz pic.twitter.com/JAeoHFk8N1
Delighted to deliver keynote remarks at Lithuania’s Future of Democracy Forum alongside @GLandsbergis to highlight the critical importance of renewing democracy worldwide.*****I8z9hbr5qk pic.twitter.com/Fu5ukBWSwx
— Under Secretary Uzra Zeya (@UnderSecStateJ) November 21, 2021
Today in #Vilnius, Foreign Minister of #Lithuania @GLandsbergis welcomed the #US @UnderSecStateJ Uzra Zeya who will take part at the high level forum on resisting authoritarianism - Future of Democracy (#FoDVilnius2021).
— Lithuania MFA (@LithuaniaMFA) November 19, 2021
Welcome, Madam Under Secretary! @StateDept pic.twitter.com/pa0hiNnXZq