Presidential aide: German companies won’t leave Lithuanian market despite China’s pressure

German companies operating in Lithuania have assured the authorities that they will not pull out from the Lithuanian market despite China’s pressure, Asta Skaisgiryte, the president’s chief foreign policy advisor, said on Thursday.

The advisor said the businesses had given such assurances before Gitanas Nauseda’s visit to Germany on Thursday. “Of course, the president will speak with Germany’s leaders about this, too,” she told LRT Radio. “It is good that before the visit, we received assurances from the German companies present in Lithuania that they have no intention to withdraw.” Beijing “has imposed undeclared sanctions” on Lithuania and its “threat to multinational companies that they will not be able to continue working with China unless Lithuania changes its positions on Taiwan” is part of these sanctions, according to the advisor. Skaisgiryte said, however, that Lithuania wants to normalize diplomatic relations with the world’s most populous country.

China last autumn halted freight trains to Lithuania, stopped issuing food export permits, cut credit limits and raised prices for Lithuanian companies. It also removed Lithuania from its customs systems, meaning that Lithuanian goods cannot clear customs. It has also been reported that China is pressuring foreign companies to stop using components made in Lithuania.