German Media: Lithuanian New Prime Minister Says Decision to Establish Office Under "Taiwan" Name "Perhaps Too Bold"

Lithuania's new prime minister, Mindaugas Sinkevičius, said on Tuesday that Lithuania's 2021 decision to allow Taiwan to establish a representative office under the name "Taiwan" was "perhaps too bold," sending signals on his first day in office about hopes to repair relations with China.

In late 2021, Lithuania—home to about 2.9 million people and a member of both the EU and NATO—allowed Taiwan to set up the "Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania," prompting China to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Lithuania. The move also damaged bilateral trade relations.

Sinkevičius’s new government’s policy platform was approved by parliament on Tuesday, paving the way for his official appointment as prime minister. The platform includes the goal of "normalizing" bilateral relations, meaning restoring the exchange of ambassadors.

Nations with formal diplomatic relations with China are not permitted to establish such institutions. While countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States also have Taiwan's overseas offices, they typically use names such as "Taipei Representative" to avoid implying that Taiwan has statehood or sovereignty.

During parliamentary questioning before Tuesday’s vote, Sinkevičius addressed the issue of the Taiwan representative office, saying: "We want to return to the previous status. We have long maintained relations with China, but then some political decisions were made—decisions that were very bold, perhaps even too bold, and may have deviated from the overall context at the time."

Since the establishment of the Taiwan representative office in 2021, multinational companies operating in China have faced pressure to cut ties with Lithuania. China suspended imports of Lithuanian goods including beef and dairy products. The dispute subsequently led the European Union to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

Sinkevičius told reporters he believes it is possible to restore relations with China without changing the current status of the Taiwan representative office. "The foreign ministry has prepared several options for resolving the current situation," he said. However, he did not disclose specific details.

In February this year, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that "the door for communication between our two sides remains open," while urging Lithuania to "turn its willingness to improve bilateral relations into concrete actions and correct its mistakes as soon as possible."

Source: DW, Reuters

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870703492390912/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author