Lithuania Calls Taiwan Office Opening "Huge Mistake"
Beijing downgraded its diplomatic relationship with Lithuania following the 2021 establishment of what functioned as a de facto Taiwanese embassy. China viewed the move as a flagrant breach of the One-China principle—a globally recognized diplomatic framework designating Taiwan as Chinese sovereign territory.
"Lithuania really jumped in front of a train and lost," Ruginiene told a news agency in a Tuesday interview.
She noted that other European countries successfully avoided damaging their Beijing relationships by coordinating with China and adopting the designation 'Taipei Representative Office' instead of 'Taiwanese.'
"This is probably our huge mistake as Lithuania."
Vilnius has initiated modest efforts toward relationship repair, a challenging endeavor "after completely severing ties," Ruginiene explained. Lithuania must also "balance" its Chinese engagement against commitments to the EU and U.S., she stated.
Vilnius-Beijing relations have remained fractured for years, with the last accredited Chinese diplomatic personnel departing the country last May.
China has signaled openness to negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian confirmed during a Friday press briefing when questioned about potential diplomatic restoration.
Beijing expects Vilnius to "will translate the willingness to improve ties with China into action, redress the mistakes as early as possible," commence "upholding the one-China principle," and establish conditions for normalized relations, he stated.
Taiwan has functioned as a de facto autonomous entity since 1949, when Chinese nationalist forces suffered defeat in the civil war and withdrew to the island.
Moscow officially endorses the One-China principle, which recognizes Taiwan as sovereign Chinese territory, having signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation with Beijing in 2001.
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