Lithuania aims to normalise relations with China within six months

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has said he expects to see the first signs of improving relations with China within six months, depending on whether current Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys remains in his post as a new government is formed next week, LRT reports.

Opposition politicians have accused Budrys of being given an impossible task, likening it to “being asked to wear out iron shoes.” Both coalition parties in the outgoing Social Democratic government had sought to restore relations with China, while the incoming coalition aims to normalise them.

Mindaugas Sinkevičius, leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), questioned whether “normalising” and “restoring” relations were true synonyms. Restoring relations, he said, would mean returning to the pre-2021 status—ambassador-level ties—before Lithuania opened a Taiwanese representative office. Normalising, however, implies stable relations without necessarily reverting to the past.

“I think this is a matter of wording, not substance. We are not abandoning the idea set out in the previous coalition’s programme,” Sinkevičius said.

Opposition figures argue there is nothing to restore, as diplomatic relations were never severed. Žygimantas Pavilionis, deputy chair of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, noted that while Lithuania has not recalled its ambassador, China has rebranded Lithuania’s representation in Beijing as a “temporary office of the chargé d’affaires,” a term it also applies to its own mission in Vilnius.

“This is a Chinese, communist neologism that does not exist in the world,” Pavilionis said.

Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, clarified this week that Lithuania would not accept a “bureau” but would consider a diplomatic mission led by a chargé d’affaires, which he said would not be a demotion, as it would operate on a reciprocal basis.

Relations with China deteriorated after Lithuania opened a Taiwanese representative office in 2021. Beijing downgraded diplomatic ties, and negotiations have been ongoing for two years. Motuzas confirmed that Lithuania does not intend to change the office’s name or close it.

“China punished us for establishing the Taiwanese representative office—more precisely, for its name. And these talks are quite sensitive,” Motuzas said.

President Nausėda has set the normalisation of relations with China as a condition for Budrys to remain foreign minister in the new government. “There are things that need to be done, and based on them, we will be able to evaluate the success of K. Budrys’ work in the coming months. That is the normalisation of relations with China,” Nausėda said on Thursday.

Opposition lawmakers see this as a signal that Budrys will be replaced. “To reconcile with the communist dragon that even America fears in two months… It means K. Budrys will be removed; he’s been given an impossible task,” Pavilionis said.

Social Democrats also doubt the feasibility of the president’s demand. “Today, it is very difficult to show that result because the ball is not in our court, but in China’s,” Motuzas admitted.

Nausėda has said he expects results from Budrys by the end of the year. Coalition candidate for prime minister, Sinkevičius, will discuss ministerial appointments with the president next week.