CHINA-LITHUANIA: CHINA DROPS LITHUANIA FROM ITS CUSTOMS LIST
|
A report from Vilnius (December 3) quoted Vidmantas Janulevicius, President of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, to say that China has imposed a customs block on Lithuanian exports. He said "Chinese customs no longer lists Lithuania in its list of origin countries. So customs forms for cargoes from Lithuania cannot be filed." Janulevicius added that the confederation, whose members account for half of Lithuania's economy, will ask the government to file a complaint with World Trade Organisation, to protest over barriers to trade. Lithuania's foreign ministry is separately talking to the European Commission to find "a common European Union reaction". The Chinese Office of the Charge d'Affairs in Vilnius did not comment on the report. Lithuania, which trades largely with European Union countries, exported 300 million euros worth of goods to China in 2020, making it 22nd largest destination for exports, according to government statistics. (Comment: China downgraded its diplomatic ties with the Baltic State and suspended consular services there after the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania opened on Nov. 18.) |