Conflicts between Lithuania and China escalate with a mobile boycott

The call follows a report from the Lithuanian state cybersecurity agency.

The agency found that the Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G phones have software with a built-in ability to detect and monitor the terms being searched on the phone – terms like “Free Tibet” and “Long live Taiwan independence.”

The function is disabled on phones sold within the European Union, but according to the survey, it can be easily activated remotely at any time.

“Our recommendation is not to buy new Chinese phones and to get rid of the ones you bought as soon as possible,” Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Margres Apokevicius said when he met with local media on Tuesday and presented the investigation. Reuters news agency reports.

The survey currently includes a constantly updated list of 449 Chinese terms, which can be censored by phones produced by Xiaomi.

The report was dismissed in the state-controlled Global Times of China as a “hoax” by Lithuania, which in turn is described as an American chess piece country, whose provocations against China only lead to “shooting itself in the foot”.

This is the latest event In a dispute between small Lithuania and large China, it has escalated in recent months.

In June, I left Lithuania A cooperation called 17 + 1, Established by China nearly ten years ago, which aims to cooperate between China and East and Central European countries. Economic cooperation is not considered to have given Lithuania as good as expected.

In July, diplomatic riots broke out when Lithuania decided to allow self-governing Taiwan to open a representation in Vilnius under its own name, called Taiwanese Representation. Similar offices that Taiwan has in Europe are usually called the Taipei Mission – as in Stockholm – to refrain from mentioning the island, which China claims as its own and which should be recaptured by military force if necessary.

Provocation of Lithuania’s decision The ruling Communist Party of China, which has since recalled its ambassador from Vilnius. Lithuania recalled its ambassador from Beijing.

At the moment, only 15 small countries in the world recognize Taiwan as an independent country (and it does not have official relations with Beijing). Lithuania is not one of the countries, but any tendency to change the treatment of Taiwan – which has its own flag, currency, elections and passport – is severely suppressed by the Chinese Communist Party.

In its dispute with China, Lithuania has appealed for support from the rest of the European Union.

As a result of Lithuania’s position The visit of a delegation from Taiwan will be with government officials and business leaders from the IT sector and electric vehicles, among others.

In October, in addition to Lithuania, the delegation will also visit the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are increasingly dissatisfied with the economic results of cooperation with mainland China.