Baltic state admits ‘huge mistake’ with China

Lithuania’s decision to allow Taipei to establish a diplomatic presence on its territory led to a years-long rift with Beijing

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has admitted that allowing a “Taiwanese representative office” to open in Vilnius was a “huge mistake.”

China downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania after the establishment of a de facto ‘Taiwanese embassy’ in 2021. Beijing regarded the decision as a gross violation of the One-China principle, an internationally recognized diplomatic framework under which Taiwan is recognized as Chinese territory.

“Lithuania really jumped in front of a train and lost,” Ruginiene said in an interview with news agency BNS on Tuesday.

Other European nations largely avoided souring relations with Beijing by coordinating with China and using the name ‘Taipei Representative Office’ rather than ‘Taiwanese’, she said.

This is probably our huge mistake as Lithuania.

Vilnius has begun taking small steps towards normalizing relations, an arduous task “after completely severing ties,” Ruginiene said. Lithuania will also need to “balance” its relationship with China against ties with the EU and the US, she added.

Relations between Vilnius and Beijing have been strained for years, with the last accredited Chinese diplomats having left the country in May last year.

China has said it is open to dialogue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in a press conference on Friday, when asked about the possibility of restoring diplomatic ties.

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Beijing hopes that Vilnius “will translate the willingness to improve ties with China into action, redress the mistakes as early as possible,” start “upholding the one-China principle,” and build conditions for normalizing relations, he said.

Taiwan has been de facto autonomous since 1949, when Chinese nationalist forces were routed in the civil war and retreated to the island.

Moscow officially supports the One-China principle, under which Taiwan is sovereign Chinese territory, having signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation with Beijing in 2001.