Estonia to allow Taiwan to establish non-diplomatic representative office in policy review

HELSINKI (AP) Estonia will allow Taiwan to open a non-diplomatic representative office in Taipei in the Baltic country to strengthen economic and cultural ties with the self-ruled island, but has pledged to stick to the policy of one China in political relations.

The government of Estonia, a member of the European Union and NATO, revised its approach towards Taiwan at a Cabinet meeting on November 2 while discussing the country’s policy towards China, said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna spoke to local media on Friday.

China claims Taiwan, an island about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off its east coast, as its territory. Beijing views Taiwan as a rebel province that can be brought under its control by force if necessary.

Just like many other European Union countries, Estonia is also ready to accept the establishment of a non-diplomatic economic or cultural representation in Taipei in order to promote respective relations, Tsahkna said in remarks published for the first time time by the Estonian Foreign Ministry after Thursday’s Cabinet meeting. He did not provide any details on when such an office would be established in Estonia.

Under the one-China principle, Beijing maintains that there is only one sovereign state under the name China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

However, some countries, such as the United States, maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan or allow its economic or cultural representative office under the name Taipei on their territory.

Estonia does not recognize Taiwan as a country. Under the one-China policy, we will not develop political relations with Taiwan, Tsahkna said. At the same time, we consider it important to revive relations with Taiwan in the fields of economy, education, culture, communication between civil society organizations and other areas similar, he said.

He said Estonia, with a population of 1.3 million, wants to align its current China policy with that of the 27-member EU, which, like the Baltic nation, views Beijing as a partner, competitor and rival.

All these aspects must be taken into account in China’s (Estonian) policy, he said.

Tsahkna’s comments came just days before Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu’s visit to Estonia. Wu will deliver a speech on Taiwan’s foreign policy and participate in a panel discussion hosted by a local think tank in the capital, Tallinn, on November 8.

Wu is not arriving in Tallinn at the invitation of the Estonian government and will not officially meet Cabinet members during his visit, Tsahkna stressed, adding that we see nothing wrong with Wu visiting Estonia .

In 2021, Lithuania, Estonia’s Baltic neighbor, allowed Taiwan to open an unofficial diplomatic representation office, a de facto embassy in its capital, Vilnius, despite strong opposition from Beijing. The move prompted Beijing to launch an unprecedented campaign of economic coercion against Lithuania, a member of the EU and NATO.