Why China is lashing out at Lithuania

China has downgraded its diplomatic relations with Lithuania after the nation approved a request for Taiwan to open a de facto embassy there

Lithuania has defended its position to have ties with Taiwan but also says it respects the “one China” policy.

The new office is named Taiwan rather than “Chinese Taipei” which is the name used by many other countries to avoid angering Beijing.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of China, but Taiwan views itself as a completely independent and self-governing state.

This latest de-facto embassy is Taiwan’s first new diplomatic outpost in Europe in 18 years.

China’s foreign ministry has responded to Lithuania’s approval of an embassy… and says the move has “undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and created a “bad precedent internationally”.