Lithuanian MPs examine Taiwan office proposal as Chinese delegation visits

Lithuania’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee will question Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys about a reported proposal to change the name of Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius, while a separate group of MPs meets a Chinese delegation to discuss restoring diplomatic representation, LRT reports.

The Chinese delegation will meet members of the parliamentary group “For the normalisation of diplomatic relations with China to the level of European Union member states.” Its chair, Ignas Vėgėlė, told BNS the talks would focus on whether steps were being taken to restore diplomatic representation in both countries and what more might be needed.

The delegation includes Zheng Huiyu, deputy director general of the European Department at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Fang Mei, an adviser to China’s mission to the EU and its representative for Lithuania. Delfi has reported that the Chinese representatives will also meet officials from Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry did not provide BNS with further details about the talks.

Committee chair Remigijus Motuzas told BNS that the committee wants to hear Budrys’s reasons for raising a possible name change. Its closed session will also address potential consequences for Lithuania’s reputation ahead of its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, how partners might view the issue, and the future of cooperation with Taiwan and talks with China.

Delfi reported that Lithuania proposed in September that Taiwan change the name of its representative office in exchange for several bilateral economic agreements and the creation of a special envoy post for Taiwan at the Foreign Ministry. The report said Taiwan was asked to make the change by October 1. Budrys has confirmed that the possibility was discussed but said the proposal was not an ultimatum.

Taiwan said on Tuesday that it had no plans to change the office’s name at present, adding that media reports on the issue were damaging relations with Vilnius. Critics say changing the name would amount to a concession to China and harm Lithuania’s reputation internationally, including with Western strategic partners.

Lithuania’s relations with China deteriorated in autumn 2021, when Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in the capital. Similar offices in other countries operate under the name Taipei. China unilaterally downgraded its diplomatic representation in Lithuania from ambassadorial to chargé d’affaires level. Lithuania later declined to issue new accreditations to Chinese diplomats, and no Chinese diplomats have been in the country since May last year.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said in an October interview with BNS that he hoped to make progress in negotiations with Beijing by the end of the year. His government has included restoring diplomatic representation in its programme.