Lithuania concerns over diplomats' safety 'purely groundless': China

Hitting out at Lithuania for withdrawing its diplomats from China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry termed the Lithuanian side's concerns around diplomats' safety "purely groundless", clarifying that the Chinese side always attaches high importance to protecting the safety of foreign diplomatic missions' premises and personnel in Beijing.

Amid worsening ties between Lithuanian and China, Lithuania has announced that it had recalled its top diplomat in China for consultations and that the embassy in Beijing would operate remotely.

The Lithuanian ministry has said consular services to Lithuanians in China would be provided remotely and in "limited capacity." Lithuania is open to talk with China on a mutually beneficial arrangement, it added.

Addressing a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the Lithuanian side never mentioned to the Chinese side any issue with regard to its safety.

"It needs to be pointed out that the so-called allegations that Lithuanian personnel based in China were concerned about their safety and that the Chinese government has prohibited the employment of Chinese citizens by the office of the charge d'affaires of Lithuania are purely groundless," Wang said.

"The Chinese side always attaches high importance to protecting the safety of foreign diplomatic missions' premises and personnel in China and ensure that all foreign diplomatic missions in China including the Lithuanian side conduct their work normally. The Lithuanian side never mentioned to the Chinese side any issue with regard to its safety," he added.

Ties between the two countries soured this year after the Lithuanian government allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in the country. Back in August, China recalled its ambassador from Vilnius, to which Lithuania responded reciprocally in September.