China protests Estonian MPs’ attendance at Taiwan reception

China’s embassy in Estonia has sent parliament a formal note objecting to eight Estonian MPs attending a Taiwan National Day reception in Tallinn on September 29, ERR reported. The event was organised by the Taipei Representation in Latvia.

The embassy said Estonia had committed to recognising the government of the People’s Republic of China as China’s sole legitimate government and Taiwan as an inseparable part of Chinese territory. It said Estonia had also pledged not to establish formal or official relations with Taiwan in any form.

The note said the MPs’ attendance constituted official contact with Taiwan and violated those commitments, harming China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The embassy urged the lawmakers to follow the one-China principle and be cautious in their words and actions on Taiwan.

The MPs who attended were Marko Mihkelson, Peeter Tali, Kristo Enn Vaga, Kalle Laanet, Jüri Jaanson, Riina Sikkut, Anti Poolamets and Evelin Poolamets. China has sent similar notes in previous years, most recently last summer after the parliament’s Estonia-Taiwan friendship group visited Taiwan.

Vaga, who chairs the friendship group, said such notes had become routine when its members attended Taiwan-related events. He said he took China’s criticism as a compliment and that no other country could dictate what Estonian MPs could do.

Vaga said Estonia does not recognise Taiwan as a state and does not plan to change that position, but considers Taiwan a potential partner. He cited cooperation projects, including Taiwanese government funding for a family home in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region, opened at the end of summer and implemented by Estdev, an Estonian government agency involved in humanitarian aid.

He also said Estonia was reducing economic cooperation with China, particularly in technology, citing security concerns highlighted in the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service’s annual reports. Vaga said he and other MPs planned to continue engaging with Taiwan despite China’s criticism.