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Vanessa Cai

Lithuania “jumped in front of the train and lost” on its decision over Taipei’s de facto embassy, the country’s prime minister said, as Vilnius became the latest European capital to seek to recalibrate ties with Beijing.
In an interview with the Baltic News Service on Tuesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Vilnius made a mistake in allowing the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in the capital in 2021.
The move enraged Beijing, which saw the use of “Taiwanese” – rather than Taipei – in the office’s name as a breach of its one-China principle.
“I believe that Lithuania really jumped in front of the train and lost,” Ruginiene was quoted as saying.
“It was probably a huge mistake on Lithuania’s part to think that if we offered something ourselves and were the first to do something, the world would suddenly appreciate it. Well, we tried in this case, we have the Taiwanese representative office, but the world did not appreciate it, no one appreciated it.”
The decision prompted Beijing to recall its ambassador to Vilnius in August 2021, a first for Beijing since the European Union was established in 1993.
After the representative office opened in November that year, Beijing downgraded diplomatic relations with Vilnius and imposed trade restrictions. Vilnius opened an office in Taipei the following year.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited, by force if necessary.
Lithuania, in common with most countries, including the United States, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded on Thursday, saying the name of the office was a “consensus reached by both sides” and that Taiwan would maintain close coordination and communication with Lithuania to deepen bilateral ties.
Ruginiene said Lithuania must put its own interests first.
“If it is not beneficial to our country and our people, why should we run away from the entire European Union, run down a path that leads nowhere? This is an example that shows that a different tactic is needed in international relations,” she said.


Taiwan has formal diplomatic ties with a dozen countries and has established “Taipei” representative offices as de facto embassies elsewhere.
Since taking office in September, the Lithuanian government has reportedly set a goal of normalising diplomatic relations with China to the level maintained by other EU member states.
Washington’s unpredictability towards its allies has pushed European countries to improve ties with China, though tensions remain high between the EU bloc and Beijing.
In the Baltic News Service interview, Ruginiene noted that Lithuania was taking “the first small steps” in talks with China, but it must coordinate its actions with the EU and the US.
“We have to see ourselves in the context of a larger entity and make decisions together that are beneficial to Lithuania specifically,” she said, noting that normalising severed ties required “a very difficult and long journey”.
“This has to do with balancing relations, including with our strategic partners, the US and the European Union.
“It is very difficult to rebuild what has been destroyed, but we are gradually moving towards not being enemies, but at least having more normal technical and business relations.”


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China

Diplomacy

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first


Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first.


Lithuania

Taiwan

United States

In diplomatic U-turn, Vilnius rues Taiwan de facto embassy row with Beijing

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first