Opposition calls for hearing over Taiwan office name talks

Lithuania’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee is planning a hearing on relations with China and Taiwan after reports that the Foreign Ministry asked Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius to change its name. LRT reports that Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius says he wants to see the final outcome of negotiations with China rather than comment on the process.

The committee’s deputy chair, conservative Žygimantas Pavilionis, requested a separate meeting to hear from Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys about the reported pressure on Taiwan. Pavilionis said he was shocked by the report and questioned why lawmakers had not been informed. Committee chair Remigijus Motuzas said he would coordinate a possible meeting with the ministry.

Delfi reported on Monday that the Foreign Ministry made the request in September, offering several bilateral economic agreements and the creation of a special envoy for Taiwan within the ministry in return for a name change.

Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said pressuring Taiwan to rename the office would amount to “kneeling before authoritarian states” and would harm Lithuania. She said changing course would make the country appear inconsistent and confused about its values. She also criticised the government for not informing the Seimas or its Foreign Affairs Committee about the discussions.

BNS reported last week that Chinese diplomats are expected to visit Lithuania on November 11 and 12 for talks with Foreign Ministry representatives and a group of lawmakers seeking to normalise diplomatic relations with Beijing. The planned visit was announced by MP Ignas Vėgėlė.

Lithuania’s relations with China deteriorated in autumn 2021, when the Taiwanese Representative Office opened in Vilnius. Similar offices in other countries operate under the name Taipei, while China opposes moves it considers expressions of Taiwanese statehood. China reduced its diplomatic representation in Lithuania to chargé d’affaires level, and Lithuania later stopped issuing new accreditations to Chinese diplomats. No Chinese diplomats have been in the country since May last year.

Sinkevičius has previously said he hopes for a breakthrough in talks with China by the end of the year. Restoring diplomatic representation is included in his government’s programme.