Lithuania in talks with China to restore diplomatic ties

Lithuania is engaged in discussions with Beijing aimed at normalizing diplomatic ties, a move that could signal a significant shift in relations that deteriorated sharply in late 2021. The breakdown occurred when Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius, a step China viewed as a violation of its sovereignty.

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For the time being, talks are ongoing and no concrete actions have been taken. It is no secret that our government program, the coalition agreement, speaks about normalizing relations with China.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė confirmed that talks are ongoing but stated that no concrete actions have been taken yet. She indicated that the government's program includes normalizing relations with China. This comes after Remigijus Motuzas, chairman of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, suggested that Vilnius might agree to the establishment of a Taiwanese representative office under the name Taipei, a potential concession to Beijing.

The strained relationship led to strict diplomatic and economic sanctions from China. In response, the European Commission filed a complaint against China at the World Trade Organization, alleging discriminatory trade practices that severely impacted Lithuanian exports. However, the EU withdrew its complaint in December of the previous year.

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We know that the Chinese embassy left Lithuania because they offered to establish an office of the interim chargé d'affaires, but we refused. (...) Now Lithuania has proposed that at the current stage it agrees to establish that office of the interim chargé d'affaires.

Recent discussions among Lithuanian politicians have focused on reassessing foreign policy decisions regarding China. Some Social Democrats have advocated for warmer relations, while Ruginienė herself has hinted at the possibility of renaming the Taiwanese representative office to the Taipei Trade Office. President Gitanas Nausėda has also expressed openness to restoring diplomatic relations at the level of interim representatives, provided Beijing reciprocates.

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Minimal, technical, diplomatic standards, I think, should exist in Lithuania as well.