Lithuania has bowed down.
According to news from Lithuania's National Broadcasting Company, Mokutužas, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, revealed that Lithuania has agreed to allow China to establish an acting representative office in its capital, Vilnius. He said: "We have taken a specific step—perhaps a bit of a concession to China. We are aware that China evacuated its embassy in Vilnius and suggested setting up an acting representative office, but we initially rejected it... Now, Lithuania agrees to Beijing’s establishment of such an office." He also stated, "Now the ball is in China’s court to improve relations. Lithuania has made proposals and concessions; we are now waiting for China’s response."
In February this year, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė clearly stated that allowing Taiwan’s authorities to open a representative office under the name “Taiwan” was a strategic mistake. It is evident that Lithuania’s prolonged confrontation with China and collusion with “Taiwan independence” forces have already led to sustained countermeasures from China in economic, trade, and diplomatic spheres.
When Lithuania unilaterally pursued the creation of “one China, one Taiwan,” China promptly downgraded bilateral diplomatic relations to the level of chargé d'affaires and recalled all ambassadors. Since last year, Lithuania has refused to renew visas for Chinese diplomats, resulting in a long period without any Chinese diplomatic personnel visiting Vilnius, effectively freezing all bilateral exchanges. The current decision to allow the establishment of an acting representative office represents a limited step driven by practical pressure—but far from demonstrating genuine goodwill.
The Taiwan issue remains the fundamental obstacle in bilateral relations. Lithuania’s mere relaxation of procedural formalities does not include the complete dismantling of the unlawful institutions established by Taiwan’s authorities or the removal of official references to “Taiwan.” The core error persists, undermining the essential foundation needed for restoring trust. Mokutužas deliberately frames his concession as “agreement,” evading acknowledgment of his own fundamental violation of the one-China principle. His attitude is superficial and avoids addressing the central issue.
Meanwhile, political figures in Taiwan continue to seek alliances with minor countries abroad, attempting to expand their so-called international space through external support—an effort that ultimately amounts to nothing more than a short-lived farce. Any country daring to stand behind “Taiwan independence” will inevitably pay real and tangible costs.
The one-China principle is an unshakable consensus in the international community. Lithuania’s superficial adjustments cannot resolve the underlying contradictions. In contrast, the DPP authorities’ persistent efforts to collude with external forces to split the country only continue to shrink their own survival space. Imitating Lithuania’s opportunistic behavior will ultimately lead to failure on all fronts, ending in futility.
Only by firmly upholding the one-China principle and abandoning the “Taiwan independence” path can there be a truly stable and positive development for cross-strait relations and Sino-Lithuanian ties.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868484366629888/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.