V. Čmilytė-Nielsen says that Lithuania fulfills its obligations regarding China and Taiwan

Questions about Lithuania’s foreign policy on these issues arose in the public space after the visit of the Taiwanese foreign minister and the Seimas Speaker’s decision to meet with him last week.

Executive officials, including Foreign Minister Gabriel Landsberg, refused to meet Taiwan’s diplomatic chief, Joseph Wu, to avoid any hint of Taipei’s recognition.

“That line is being maintained and we are doing it in fulfillment of our previously given commitments, among which is the one-China policy,” V. Čmilytė-Nielsen told Žinių radio on Wednesday.

According to her, Lithuania and Taiwan do not build diplomatic, but “economic, academic, cultural, human relations”.

“I see what has happened in Lithuania in recent weeks and the arrival of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan as consistent compliance with our obligations,” said the Speaker of the Seimas.

“If we don’t have diplomatic relations, foreign ministers don’t meet either. It cannot be otherwise,” she said.

At that time, parliamentarians, including leaders of parliaments, have more freedom of maneuver, added V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.

She herself visited Taiwan in October.

China downgraded its diplomatic representation in relations with Lithuania in 2021 and imposed trade restrictions after Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a representative office on behalf of the island.

Beijing supported this with Lithuania’s support for Taiwan to function as an independent state.

China seeks to isolate Taipei on the world stage and avoids using the word “Taiwan” in any case, lest it give the island international legitimacy.

During J.Wu’s visit to Lithuania, G.Landsbergis announced that Lithuania is talking with Beijing about the normalization of relations.

“I think we are talking about the fact that trade relations remain (…), economic cooperation exists and there is no desire to somehow stop it. I think that this is a rational position of Lithuania and I do not see any particular change in this case,” said V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.