<span style="color: #222222;">China has suspended imports of beef from Lithuania, amid a growing trade rift with the Baltic nation and its Western allies over Taiwan. According to media reports, the General Administration of Customs did not give a reason for the suspension, which took effect on Wednesday. <br />''<br />''The move comes after the UK on Monday announced it would join the United States and Australia in supporting a EU case against China at the World Trade Organization over Beijing's alleged trade sanctions against Lithuania. <br />''<br />''China has used trade restrictions against other countries deemed to have acted against Chinese interests in the past. In 2020, Beijing placed curbs on billions of dollars of Australian exports, after Canberra called for an independent international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan's foreign ministry condemned the suspension of beef imports as "bullying" and the latest example of Beijing seeking to change Lithuania's foreign policy. "We firmly stand together with Lithuania," ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou told reporters. <br />''<br />''It is the latest move amid deteriorating ties between China and the European Union member nation, which escalated after Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in its capital Vilnius last year. China has formally downgraded its diplomatic relations with Lithuania, and exporters reported in December that they had been removed from the Chinese customs system, meaning they were unable to fulfil shipments. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday called on Lithuania to "face up to facts, redress its own mistakes.</span><br />