Taiwan opens office in Lithuania, in move set to anger China
The Hindu
Vilnius office would bear the name Taiwan rather than Chinese Taipei
Taiwan opened a representation office in Lithuania's capital Vilnius on Thursday, in a move set to anger Beijing.
The self-governing island and Lithuania agreed in July that the Vilnius office would bear the name Taiwan rather than Chinese Taipei — a term often used in other countries in order not to offend Beijing.
China says Taiwan is part of its territory and doesn't have the right to diplomatic recognition, although the island maintains informal ties with all major nations through trade offices that act as de facto embassies, including in the United States and Japan. Chinese pressure has reduced Taiwan's formal diplomatic allies to just 15.

The U.S. seized or intercepted three Venezuelan oil tankers — Skipper, Centuries, and Bella 1 — for carrying crude or trading with sanctioned entities. These ships are examples of the shadow fleet, showing how countries like Venezuela bypass sanctions, prompting the U.S. to order a physical blockade.












