Estonia: Foreign Ministry distances itself from China visit by MPs

Estonia’s Foreign Ministry had “no role whatsoever” in organising or initiating a recent visit by six Estonian MPs to China, the ministry’s director of media relations, Liisa Toots, stated, ERR reports. She said that the visit was organised by the Chinese embassy in Estonia in cooperation with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, which acted as the official host. Toots said that the MPs were briefed on Estonia’s and the EU’s relations with China ahead of and during the trip. She noted that Estonia’s ambassador to China, Hannes Hanso, had warned the MPs not to let China cover their travel expenses. A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stressed that it was crucial that MPs “are and also appear to be independent.” The six MPs are members of the Estonia-China parliamentary friendship group.