EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel vowed to “push back” against “threats, political pressure and coercive measures” aimed at any of the bloc’s member states. Beijing had objected to Lithuania allowing the office to use the name “Taiwanese Representative Office,” rather than a name using “Taipei,” as is common for Taiwan’s representative offices abroad. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, looks on as European Council President Charles Michel speaks during a news conference in Brussels on Friday last week. Von der Leyen and Michel’s letter came in response to a letter from the Formosa Club, a group of cross-party EU and Canadian legislators seeking to promote closer ties with Taiwan. The group’s letter, sent two months ago, called for “a far stronger response” from the EU to the Lithuania-China rift.

Source: Taipei Times October 29, 2021 18:59 UTC