Landsbergis says Taiwan office request weakens Lithuania’s standing

Former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said a reported request for Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius to change its name undermines Lithuania’s standing with partners and opponents, LRT reported.

Landsbergis said he did not believe Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry had drawn up the request on its own initiative. He described it as China’s demand being passed on to Taiwan, with Lithuania acting as an intermediary.

“We are moving from a state that shapes its own foreign policy to one that carries out the foreign policy demands of a country unfriendly to us,” he told LRT. He said the episode could damage the relationship Lithuania had built with Taiwan and make it harder to develop ties in a positive direction.

The Delfi news portal reported on Monday that the Foreign Ministry had given Constance H. Wang, head of Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius, an informal document urging a change to the office’s name.

President Gitanas Nausėda criticised the former governing majority on Monday, saying the former foreign minister had been able to open a representative office by exchanging letters with another country without coordinating with another state institution. Asked about the president’s remarks, Landsbergis said he did not want to argue with him.

LRT said it would publish a full interview with Landsbergis on Wednesday.