The Baltic region’s largest English-language media, The Baltic Times, reported on the 3rd that Lithuania’s new Prime Minister, Ruginiene, publicly stated that allowing the Taiwan authorities to set up a so-called ‘Taiwan Representative Office’ in the capital Vilnius back then was a huge mistake.
Ruginiene admitted that the Taiwan authorities have also set up ‘representative offices’ in other European countries, but all these ‘offices’ only opened after normal coordination and after choosing the name ‘Taipei Representative Office.’
These countries all maintain economic cooperation with China. She further pointed out that Lithuania made a huge mistake, thinking that by ‘rushing ahead and acting as a pioneer, the world would be grateful.’
● Lithuanian PM: Setting up ‘Taiwan Representative Office’ Not Appreciated
According to the report, Ruginiene said that Lithuania set up a so-called ‘Taiwan Representative Office’, but the world did not express appreciation; Lithuania ‘jumped in front of the train, and paid the price.’
The EU and the US did not explicitly support Lithuania regarding the establishment of a Taiwan representative office.
In August 2021, Lithuania disregarded China’s solemn protest and repeated representations, allowing the Taiwan authorities to set up a so-called ‘Taiwan Representative Office’ in the capital, directly touching China’s core interests. As a result, China-Lithuania relations were downgraded, diplomats withdrew, trade was adjusted, and the China-Europe freight trains were rerouted. China’s actions were normal countermeasures by a sovereign nation.
● EU Withdraws from the Incident
In early 2022, the EU once stood up for Lithuania, accusing China of so-called ‘discriminatory trade’ practices against its member state and lodging a complaint with the WTO. Two years later, in 2024, the EU was the first to call for a halt; and by 2025, it directly withdrew the complaint, stepping back from the matter.
At the end of 2025, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ruginiene deleted the statement “China poses an increasing diplomatic and security risk” from previous government documents.
● Lithuanian Government Hopes to Visit China Soon
During the visit of the Danish King and Queen to Lithuania at the end of January, Lithuanian President Nausėda hinted that either he or Ruginiene hoped to be able to visit Beijing as soon as possible to repair bilateral relations.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry previously stated, ‘We hope the new Lithuanian government will follow the prevailing international consensus, earnestly adhere to the one-China principle, and accumulate conditions for the normalization of China-Lithuania relations.’