A delegation from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived in Vilnius on Wednesday to meet with Lithuanian officials and a group of parliamentarians, marking a diplomatic outreach amid ongoing tensions over the status of the Taiwanese representation in the country.
Other members, such as Artūras Zuokas and Algirdas Butkevičius, were present in the vicinity of the meeting room but did not participate in the discussions. The delegation also includes Lu, a deputy division head within the European Affairs department, second secretary Guo Luping, as well as Fang Mei, an advisor from the Chinese mission to the EU, and Sun Chuanzhi, an attaché at the same mission.
Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys characterized the discussions as routine, stating that this is one of dozens of stages of conversation and that the ministry is not building “enormous expectations” regarding immediate breakthroughs. Minister Budrys said that the talks are conducted at a non-political level, while President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed that his office is not participating in the scheduled meetings.
The diplomatic friction stems from the 2021 opening of the Taiwanese representation in Vilnius, which Beijing views as a violation of the “One China” understanding. An informal document of requirements was reportedly delivered to the head of the Taiwanese representation, Constance H. Wang, on September 24 by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidmantas Verbickas and diplomat Ričardas Šlepavičius.
Seimas Liberal Movement faction leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen argued that such a decision would be a “serious strategic mistake” that could damage Lithuania’s reputation, particularly as the country prepares for its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union.
President Gitanas Nausėda described the public discourse surrounding the office’s name as an unfounded storm of emotions, suggesting that the focus should be on why economic cooperation with Taiwan has not yielded the anticipated results. He maintained that Lithuania is not altering its national security policy.
Former Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis expressed skepticism regarding the normalization efforts, characterizing the pressure to change the office’s name as an initiative driven by Beijing. He warned that Lithuania risks appearing to cooperate with regimes that are viewed negatively in the West. Meanwhile, Albinas Januška cautioned that Kinija first and foremost must offer to restore diplomatic representation by accrediting ambassadors in both Beijing and Vilnius.
Business leaders have adopted a more pragmatic stance. The Chinese delegation is scheduled to continue its visit on Thursday with a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
