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China-EU relations
ChinaDiplomacy

What next for EU ties as ‘shocked’ Beijing lashes out at Slovenia over Taiwan office plans?

  • Chinese foreign ministry has slammed ‘dangerous’ comments from Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa in reminder of reaction to Lithuania over similar moves
  • Hanging in the balance are the future of Beijing’s cooperation mechanism in Central and Eastern Europe, and hopes of mending EU relations

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Janez Jansa, prime minister of Slovenia, has revealed plans to “exchange representatives” with self-ruled Taiwan. Photo: EPA-EFE
Kinling Lo
Slovenia’s plans to open a Taiwan office looks likely to provoke a “shocked” Beijing into yet another diplomatic spat despite hopes of mending ties with the European Union, analysts said.
This comes after Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa revealed plans to “exchange representatives” with self-ruled Taiwan in an interview on Monday with Indian broadcaster Doordarshan, where he also strongly criticised Beijing’s angry response to similar moves by Lithuania.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it was “shocked … and strongly opposed” to the plans. Calling Jansa’s comments “dangerous”, spokesman Zhao Lijian on Wednesday urged the Slovenian government to abide by the one-China policy and warned that the decision would further damage ties between China and Europe.

Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province that must be reunited, by force if necessary, and has time and again warned other countries against having official contact with the island.

Hence Slovenia’s moves could make it yet another European country to find relations frayed with China, despite joining the China and Central and Eastern European countries (China-CEEC Cooperation) initiative, a Beijing-led programme that aims to woo smaller European nations by promising access to the Chinese market and investors.

The mechanism was known as the 17+1 until Lithuania walked out last year. Its relations with China have since gone into a downward spiral, propelled by a decision to let Taiwan open a de facto embassy in the capital Vilnius.

Beijing reacted furiously to that decision, downgrading bilateral relations and reportedly imposing a customs block on exports from the tiny Baltic nation.

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