Lithuanian FM satisfied with ministry's work on China relations

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated he is pleased with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' efforts to normalize relations with China. He emphasized that a key priority, included in the third government program, is to achieve the same level of relations with China as other EU member states currently hold.

"I see that this is being done, work is being done, and I think it is being done well and everything is proceeding at a good pace," Budrys told reporters after a meeting with the minister. He assured that the ministry is actively engaged with the China issue, though he did not detail specific steps, reiterating that it is not the top priority.

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I see that this is being done, work is being done, and I think it is being done well and everything is proceeding at a good pace.

Budrys also addressed ongoing negotiations with Taiwan regarding an economic agreement. He noted that while the process has slowed during the summer, it has not stopped. However, he stressed that any agreement must be mutually beneficial and not merely an end in itself. "We really need a very concrete plan on how we could implement something. Very practically and pragmatically," Budrys concluded. The government program aims to normalize diplomatic relations with China to the level of other EU states, a goal that became more complex after Lithuania opened a Taiwanese representative office in 2021, leading to significant diplomatic and economic sanctions from Beijing.

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We really need a very concrete plan on how we could implement something. Very practically and pragmatically.