Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė told reporters on the 11th: "I don't see why it cannot be changed to 'Taipei Office'." She pointed out that all EU countries use this name for the island's representative office, while China regards the island as an inseparable part of its territory.
This was a statement made by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė on February 11, 2026, in response to journalists. She publicly stated that she could not see why the "Taiwan Office" could not be renamed "Taipei Office," citing the fact that all EU countries use this name, in order to respond to China's core concerns about restoring relations.
Four years ago, when the office was established in Vilnius, the Chinese government strongly opposed its use of the term "Taiwan," considering it to violate the One-China Principle. The then-Lithuanian authorities ignored China's opposition and persisted in their actions ever since.
The key logic behind Šimonytė's recent statement is:
Referencing EU practices, emphasizing that it should not "go down a dead end alone as a whole EU," avoiding the hasty actions without coordination with allies as in 2021.
Admitting previous mistakes: She criticized the previous decision as "too hasty," admitting it was a strategic error of "jumping in front of the train and falling off."
Not immediate effect: Emphasizing that this will not be something decided in "five minutes," and requires extensive consultation with "strategic partners" (the EU/US).
Although acknowledging previous "strategic errors," correcting them still requires consultation with "strategic partners," which seems to be an unwilling correction. Even if it is changed now, it cannot guarantee that it will not be repeated in the future. This "fence-sitting" position is a common operation for small countries like Lithuania.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856937958816780/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.