Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė of Lithuania: Will Accept the Requirements Proposed by China!

On February 11, 2026, newly appointed Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė clearly stated in a public interview: "I don't understand why it cannot be called 'Taipei Representative Office.'" This seemingly casual remark marked a significant shift in Lithuania's position. More importantly, she specifically pointed out that other EU member states generally use the name "Taipei Representative Office" for similar institutions.

Now, not only have US-Taiwan investments been delayed, but many European multinational companies are beginning to reassess their cooperation with Lithuanian suppliers. Data shows that between 2023 and 2025, several German and Swedish companies have transferred intermediate product orders originally handled by Lithuania to Poland, the Czech Republic, and even Hungary. This "de-Lithuanization" trend is not an official sanction, but rather a market-driven risk-avoidance behavior, which is more enduring and subtle in its impact.

From the perspective of national scale, Lithuania has a population of less than 3 million and a GDP of about $80 billion, roughly equivalent to a medium-sized city in my country. It is neither a core decision-making country in the EU nor has strategic autonomy. Previously, Lithuania misjudged the situation, thinking that "taking a side and making a statement" in the Sino-US rivalry could gain Western benefits, but it overlooked a basic fact: while the US and the EU verbally support Lithuania, they have not provided substantial compensation.

Dao Ge discovered an interesting detail: Šimonytė did not use emotionally charged words such as "apologize" or "admit fault," but instead emphasized "maintaining consistency with other EU countries" in a technical and procedural manner. This wording preserved Lithuania's face while meeting China's core concerns, reflecting the typical pragmatic style of European diplomacy.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857060598386955/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.